To ensure seamless operations for arriving tourists in Lagos, the state’s Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs Toke Benson-Awoyinka has disclosed plans to partner with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) with the aim of creating a welcome desk at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja. 
  
The Commissioner who disclosed this during an interactive meeting recently said that the decision is informed by the need to reduce the cumbersome process tourists experience in navigating their way around the state on arrival at the airport. She said the welcome desk would also cater for every traveller’s needs, including making prompt bookings for hotel accommodation, airport transfers, among others.
  
Benson-Awoyinka said: “This is one of the efforts the ministry is putting in place to encourage tourists’ inflow into the state. We want to showcase Lagos as a choice tourism destination to the world. We will also be partnering with bookings.com for seamless hotel reservations. We want to upgrade our system to say destination Lagos has arrived.” 
  
On efforts made to further preserve Lagos history and relay the same to tourists, Benson-Awoyinka also disclosed plans to plaque the identified heritage sites within Lagos. “There would be a barcode at each of the sites which could be scanned on tourists’ mobile gadgets and they gain access to more knowledge on the sites because plaques cannot convey all the history. We will take deliberate steps to ensure Lagos residents know Lagos more and the history of the state.” 
  
The commissioner, however, advised Nigerians to look inwards and take deliberate steps to visit tourism sites within Lagos.  She said: “Lagos has the best and longest coastline in Africa and there is no difference between beaches in Maldives and Seychelles when compared to what is obtainable in Ibeshe and Ilashe.”
  
While also disclosing plans by the state government to formally introduce ‘LAGRIDE’ as official tourism ride for Lagos, Benson-Awoyinka pledged to ensure that the state provides an enabling environment and ecosystem around tourism. “With LAGRIDE, when visitors land at the airport, they can book their ride and the taxi will be waiting to take tourists to their destinations. We want Nigerians to see Lagos as global tourism destinations and we should all work toward boosting our economy by visiting our tourism destinations and reducing visits to international ones.”