Icon Group commits to sports tourism in Nigeria

Icon Hotels Nigeria, the management of the Ibom Icon Hotel and Golf Resort in Uyo, Akwa Ibom, says it is committed to the development of “premium” hospitality infrastructure to aid sports growth in the country.

Adetope Kayode, chief executive officer (CEO) of Icon Group, spoke at the 2021 Africa Sports Tourism week in Lagos where his organisation was inducted into the Nigeria sports tourism’s hall of fame.

Kayode said the outfit had targeted the vast areas covered by sports to achieve maximum benefits for all stakeholders.

“We recognise that ours is the only facility within Nigeria and West Africa with an 18-hole golf championship course where space counts for everything,” he said.

The Icon Group took over management of Ibom Hotels in Uyo after the Akwa Ibom state government voted for the private partnership as a sustainable way to keep the hospitality facility profitable.

According to Kayode, the Icon Group, which started off in Kenya with boutique hospitality facilities across the continent, currently owns a football club in Uyo, in addition to running tennis competitions for kids within the state.

“Sports tourism is a key driver of the hospitality business and we are committed to using our system to balance the dynamics as we look to continuing our operations in Kenya, Tanzania, Republic of Benin and Gambia.” he added.

On the induction to the sports tourism’s hall of fame, Kayode said: “The honour justifies our investment in the sports tourism space said the honour justifies the group’s growing investment into the sports tourism space and we hope to continue to work for the growth of sports in Nigeria as well as across the continent.”