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In its determination to create a new tourism destination proposition for Lagos State and a unique hospitality experience for local and international tourists alike, the Babatunde Fashola administration, having secured the funding support of Nigeria's leading investment bank, on February 20, 2008 made history when it officially finalized the process of acquiring the world's first boat hotel, the Sunborn Yacht Hotel.
In its determination to create a new tourism destination proposition for Lagos State and a unique hospitality experience for local and international tourists alike, the Babatunde Fashola administration, having secured the funding support of Nigeria's leading investment bank, on February 20, 2008 made history when it officially finalized the process of acquiring the world's first boat hotel, the Sunborn Yacht Hotel.
The cost of acquisition, transportation and up-grade of the spectacular hospitality facility has been put at about 25 million Euros when delivered by the third quarter of the year 2008.
The deal initiated by the Fashola administration through its Ministry of Tourism and Inter-governmental Relations and bank-rolled by Diamond Capital Ltd, the investment banking arm of Diamond Bank Plc and facilitated by MIDC Ltd and Westcom Ltd, two Nigerian venture capital advisory firms, when delivered, will bring Lagos State into the league of major cities of the World such as New York, Paris, Barcelona et cetera with prestigious Yacht hotels, signaling the high points of their tourism earning efforts.
Speaking at the brief occasion of the Final Sales Contract Signing ceremony for the acquisition which has a Lagos-based firm, Planet Project Ltd as Project Managers and Consultants at the Board Room of Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism and Inter-governmental Relations, Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi who represented Governor Babatunde Fashola at the event, described the dream of the present administration to acquire a heritage hotel such as the Sunborn Yacht Hotel as indicative of the administration's desire to transform the tourism landscape in Nigeria and assume sector leadership in Africa and beyond, saying, 'the Hotel we have just acquired for Lagos with the support of Diamond Capital Ltd will be the first of its kind in Africa and indeed the Middle-East and put us in the league of the first five major cities of the world with similar hospitality facilities and tourism earnings capabilities. This hospitality facility is the first that was custom built. So it is a piece of heritage that we are buying into."
According to Senator Afikuyomi, the success of the Lagos State Government bid is an abundant proof of the correctness of the often expressed belief of Governor Fashola, that, what will move Lagos forward is, 'a combination of the talents, assets, resources and potentials of the public sector and the private sector.
Hence, this project is driven as Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative."
Afikuyomi who further ascribed the success of the acquisition bid which saw Lagos beating the cities of Doha and Dubai respectively, two renown tourism destinations in the world, to the inspiring leadership of Fashola his colleagues at the Water Front, Physical Planning, Justice, Environment, Works and Infrastructure Ministries respectively as well as the encouraging efforts of the Special Adviser on Taxation and indeed the entire members of the Lagos State Cabinet who bought into the bold vision saying, 'but for their support, Lagos would not have been able to make this history as the quest by Dubai to acquire a QE2 Boat Hotel would have meant that the first Boat Hotel in the African Continent and the Middle East would have gone first to Dubai . But today, we have positioned Lagos on the world tourism map and the results would be self-evident for all to see".
In his appreciation remarks, Hans Niemi, Executive Director, Sunborn International who commended the Lagos State government for the warm African hospitality his visiting team has been treated to, described the move by the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism and Inter-governmental Relations to acquire the Sunborn Yacht Hotel for the City of Lagos as 'a demonstration of uncommon bravery and courage on the part of those at the helm of affairs in the State."
He said: 'Since we arrived in Lagos, we have seen what the term African hospitality means. It's been truly wonderful to see the work you are doing in Lagos . It seems true that this is the right time, a very exciting time to be part of this industry in Lagos."
Hans further explained the vision of Sunborn International as an innovative company saying, 'as a company, we are a very innovative company. We like to do things in creative and innovative ways. These are the kind of partners that we like to do business with and will do business with. Thanks for sharing the vision of Sunborn International. It means so much to us."