The Nigeria Hotel Association, Epe Branch, says hotel business in Epe and Ibeju-Lekki axis of Lagos State received a boost, recording good sales in the just concluded Eid el-Kabir.
Deji Alade, the president of the association, Epe Branch on Wednesday, said that hundreds of visitors and Muslim faithful were on tour of the area for the festival.
He explained that members of the association had a busy time as patronage of their hotels peaked during the period.
“Virtually, all our hotels which experienced low patronage before Eid el-Kabir, were booked,” he said.
He said that some visitors and guests had booked their accommodation two days before the Eid el-Kabir while others checked in on the day. Alade described Lekki-Epe as the state’s tourist destination, noting that Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu's administration in Lagos State had transformed the coastal city of Epe with good roads.
He also noted that industries that “are springing up in the area, such as Dangote’s refinery, the Fourth Mainland Bridge, seaports and the coastal Lagos Lagoon has raised the tourism potential of the area”.
A member of the association, Tunde Allison, also confirmed that hotels in the area enjoyed high patronage. According to him, many intending lodgers did not get rooms as the hotel rooms were fully booked.
Also, Segun Balogun, a hotelier, said that there was a boost in the sector.
“I never believe we will record good sales because of the economic hardship but in spite of that, the patronage during the celebration was overwhelming.
“All our rooms were booked since two days before the celebration until after it. It was a huge success,” he added.