Lagos State government and the Canadian Deputy High Commissioner, Carlos Rojas-Arbulú, have called for improved packaging, coordination and promotion of the country’s tourism particularly Lagos, to attract more competitive destination for local and international visitors.

 They made the call at a meeting with tourism stakeholders from the local councils s and grassroots, tagged “Experience The Best of Lagos,” held in the Victoria Island axis of the state.

 The Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Idris Aregbe, said the state was determined to unlock the tourism potential of its communities and reposition the sector as a major driver of economic growth.

 Aregbe urged officials at the council level to take greater responsibility for identifying and promoting tourism attractions within their jurisdictions, stressing that many valuable destinations remained largely unknown even to residents.

 “My mandate is to ensure that tourism is boosted in Lagos to become the best. We need to continue to create a better environment in the tourism, art, and culture sector,” he said.

 He described the 20 local councils and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in Lagos as a major advantage in the state’s tourism promotion strategy, saying the grassroots structures could help expose attractions across the state to a wider audience.

 According to him, tourism destinations may be located within individual councils, making the active participation and ownership of the councils critical to their development and promotion.

“You are the keys to the door of tourism in your councils,” Aregbe told the stakeholders, urging them to become more proactive in discovering and promoting attractions within their communities.

 He said Lagos could no longer afford to wait until December before its tourism economy became vibrant, noting that the state had increasingly become a destination where visitors book hotels months ahead of the festive season and, in some cases, extend their stay beyond the holidays.

 Aregbe, however, said the state needed to do more to convert the growing interest into sustainable, year-round tourism.

 He urged stakeholders to ensure that the 2026 ember season marked the beginning of a major transformation in Lagos tourism by providing visitors with memorable experiences capable of encouraging longer stays and repeat visits.
 “We need to make the 2026 ember season the beginning of a massive turnaround in the country, particularly Lagos tourism,” he said.

“We must be able to hold the tourists and give them an unforgettable experience that will make them either spend more days than expected or tick Lagos for their next tourism destination for the next season.”

 The Special Adviser stressed that tourism was much broader than entertainment, noting that it encompassed commerce, arts, food, culture and several other sectors of the economy.

 He called for greater collaboration between the state government and local councils to develop and market tourism assets, saying Lagos must position itself as a destination where visitors could enjoy quality experiences regardless of their budgets.

 Aregbe also identified film and digital content as important tools for changing perceptions about Lagos and presenting its attractions to global audiences.

 He said the influence of films in shaping perceptions of destinations could not be underestimated, noting that movies had played a major role in shaping international perceptions of places such as the United States.
 According to him, Lagos has changed considerably and should no longer be viewed through outdated perceptions of the city.

“Lagos has a lot to show now,” he said, adding that the state was willing to partner with individuals and organisations passionate about boosting tourism.

 The Canadian Deputy High Commissioner, Rojas-Arbulú, supported the call for better packaging, saying Lagos had significant tourism value that could be converted into economic opportunities if properly presented to international visitors.

 Speaking from the perspective of a foreigner who has lived in Lagos for two years, Rojas-Arbulú described his experience in the city and Nigeria as “transformational.”

 He said many things that residents considered ordinary could represent unique and valuable experiences to international visitors.

 According to him, the first step was for Lagos to identify those assets and package them in ways that appealed to the needs and expectations of international tourists.

He identified value, structure and narrative as three critical elements needed to strengthen Lagos’ tourism offering.

 “It’s understanding that you hold value; you have to find a way to package it in a way that speaks to that international visitor,” he said.

The Canadian envoy also emphasised the importance of structure and coordination, saying international visitors were more likely to pay for tourism experiences when destinations, transportation and service providers were properly organised.

He suggested the development of organised tourism packages containing different locations and experiences, supported by accessible transportation and service providers capable of facilitating visitors’ movements.

Rojas-Arbulú further called for a deliberate change in the narrative about Lagos and Nigeria, arguing that the city needed to take greater control of how it was presented to international audiences.

He said international perceptions of Nigeria were often influenced by negative reports, but that Lagos had a wealth of positive stories that could be told through its entrepreneurship, Afrobeats, food, fashion, creative industry and tourism attractions.

“But if we speak about the amazing entrepreneurship of this country and the city, we speak about Afrobeats, about the food, about the fashion, about the things that can connect you emotionally to an experience, then we’re telling a different narrative,” he said.

The envoy described Lagos as “a whole world to be discovered” and said the city had tremendous talent and experiences that could attract more international visitors.

He also expressed willingness to support efforts to present Lagos and Nigeria in a more positive light to Canadians, particularly through stronger links between the creative and tourism ecosystems in Lagos and Toronto.
Rojas-Arbulú said such partnerships could encourage increased tourism, investment and engagement between both destinations.

Both speakers stressed the importance of storytelling, particularly through film and digital platforms, as part of the strategy to reposition Lagos tourism.

Aregbe said the state was ready to collaborate with filmmakers, content creators and other stakeholders who shared its vision of showcasing the changing face of Lagos to the world.