By Abasi Ita
As part of measures to ensure the safety of expected tourists in Cross River State, the State Tourism Bureau has commenced the training of security personnel deployed to guarantee the safety of lives and property during the festivities.
In a welcome remark at the event, Managing Director (MD), of Cross River State Tourism Bureau, Prince Ojoi Ekpenyong, stated that the training event is in furtherance of the state government agenda intended to rejig the tourism industry in a bid to regain lost grounds.
He disclosed that personnel selected for the the training were drawn from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, Civil Defense, VIO, Road Safety, Immigration, Customs as well as private security outfits.
According to him, “The essence of this training is to return Cross River State to that world-class destination. The security men are our first gatekeepers, they’re the ones who interact with our visitors, so we are here to let them know that they must welcome our visitors with a smile, they must do their jobs with love and professionalism.
“The training aims at promoting a police-friendly environment in Cross River. Whether you like it or not, when the police and other agencies solve the problem on the road with love, more people will come to Cross River State, he said.
Ojio posted “The expectation is high because there’s going to be a tourism policing in Cross River State. They’re all here as trainees, they will go back and train their colleagues, so these are representatives of security personnel in Nigeria. So about twenty thousand of them who will be on the road on that Carnival day will be trained in their respective agencies, he maintained.
Flagging off the one-day training, Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Elvert Ayambem, applauded the MD for innovative concepts including training of security personnel which he noted have revamped the state’s tourism industry.
“Most of the countries people do travel to, they don’t even have what we have in Cross River State and I’m thanking the governor very strongly for rejigging the tourism of Cross River State.
“This orientation is very important because if you travel somewhere and you see security personnel manhandling anyone, I’m pretty sure you won’t want to visit there again. So what the MD of the Tourism Bureau is doing here today is very commendable because that simple lecture that is given to them and the cautiousness of handling the people coming into the state is paramount.
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“The training is very important because there’s a way security personnel will handle a person and instead of bringing in tourists into Cross River State, they rather scare them away, so it’s a welcome development, he stressed
The Speaker expressed optimism that the monolith and the god’s mountain site abandoned by the previous government will receive maximum attention in the administration.
In her preamble, Vice President, of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN) Justina Ovat, said the training will enable participants to inculcate the spirit of hospitality and excellent service to drive exceptional guest experience during Calabar Carnival.
“This comprehensive one-day workshop aims to equip military and paramilitary forces with the knowledge and skills needed to deliver ‘Africa’s warmest welcome’ during the Calabar Carnival, ensuring an exceptional guest experience. Facilitators with expertise in hospitality, events management, and military protocols will conduct the sessions, she opined.