It is a known fact that ITTF Challenge Nigeria Open has continued to attract international attention to the commercial nerve centre of Nigeria – Lagos State in the last five years,National Daily learnt.
Lagos is the smallest in area among Nigeria’s 36 states, and it is arguably the most economically important state of the country. As Nigeria’s largest urban area, Lagos is a major financial centre and the Executive Chairman of the Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC), Kweku Tandoh believes the staging of the annual ITTF Challenge Nigeria Open has put the state on international limelight as well as exposed its tourism potentials to the world.
“The ITTF Challenge Nigeria Open is indeed a unique event that started out as the Lagos International Table Tennis Classics in 2014. Just after one year of its coming into existence, the success of the event attracted the attention of the ITTF into approving its inclusion in the ITTF annual calendar of events and the event has continued to grow in leaps and bounds.
“{The impact of the Nigeria Open on Lagos State has been huge and beneficial in many respects. For example, the event annually attracts tourists from all over the world into the State. It has helped to showcase the beneficial synergy between sports and tourism, a major area of focus for Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.
“In addition, many Lagos State athletes are now annually exposed to meeting, watching and playing with international players and is has helped to improve their own performances. Commerce and local business also thrive in the State during the Nigeria Open as there are increased commercial activities in and around the venues, hotels improve occupancy rates and sponsors and partners have an opportunity to market their products and make brisk sales. Of course the period of the event and its international flavour, international media exposure all help to ensure that Lagos State is in the international spotlight. Another benefit to the State is the opportunity the event offers our Sports Commission staff to build capacity in the area of sports event planning and organization,” Tandoh said.
For 2018, Kweku Tandoh said: “This year Lagos State has improved upon its partnership contribution as promised by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode during the finals of last year’s event. We are also working closely with the Local Organising Committee (LOC) to ensure that this year’s event is bigger and better in all ramifications.
“Nigeria Open offers us the opportunity to use sports/ sporting events to boost tourism. The event will also be listed in the Lagos State Tourism Annual Calendar. We also intend to incorporate bus and/or boat tours for the visiting athletes and officials and also expose them to the sights, sounds, arts and culture of the State. Many of the international players who have attended previous events have become “tourism ambassadors” for the state as they always look forward to coming back to Lagos.”