The Nigeria Hotel Association, Epe Branch, has reported a significant increase in hotel business across the Epe and Ibeju-Lekki areas of Lagos State during the recent Eid el-Kabir festival.
Deji Alade, President of the association’s Epe Branch, highlighted a notable rise in visitors and Muslim faithful touring the region for the festival. He noted that hotels experienced a surge in bookings, with virtually all establishments fully occupied after a period of lower patronage.
“Before Eid el-Kabir, our hotels were not as busy, but during the festival, they were fully booked,” Alade remarked. He credited the attractiveness of Lekki-Epe as a tourist destination, emphasizing the infrastructure improvements under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration, particularly the enhanced road network in Epe.
Alade also pointed out the burgeoning industries in the area, including Dangote’s refinery, the Fourth Mainland Bridge, seaports, and the Lagos Lagoon, which have bolstered the area’s tourism potential.
Tunde Allison, another association member, confirmed the high demand for accommodations, noting that many prospective lodgers were unable to secure rooms due to full occupancy.
Segun Balogun, a local hotelier, expressed surprise at the robust sales despite economic challenges, stating, “I didn’t expect such high patronage, but all our rooms were booked from two days before the festival until after it. It was a tremendous success.”
Credit: News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Text Excluding Headline
