The Lagos State Government has advised operators of hotels, hospitality centres and other recreational facilities to register their establishments or risk facing sanctions.
The state Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, which gave the advice, said the registration would allow the state government to monitor activities at such establishments.
Ministry’s spokesman Ganiyu Lawal told the News Agency of Nigeria that hotels and facilities must comply before the end of the year or face sanctions.
The registrations are part of the ministry’s efforts to upgrade of hotels and hospitality facilities in the state to an internationally acceptable standard.
The spokesman said the exercise would also serve as security-assurance for tourists and local customers .
The Ministry would invoke the Hotel Licensing Law of Lagos State to ensure that all hotel operators and hospitality groups comply with the policy.
“A number of hotels and hospitality groups had refused to comply with the directive before now.
“Sequel to that, the Commissioner Mr. Folorunso Folarin-Coker, had directed that defaulters be fished out,” he said.
The spokesman said that there have been an increase in the number of registered hotels and hospitality groups from the 450 recorded in May.
However, unregistered establishments outnumber the registered.
“We still have some miles to cover with the current number of unregistered hotels; but we shall continue to appeal to them to comply before the year runs out,” Lawal said.
