By Esther Onyegbula

For the first time in the history of World Tourism Day, the global celebration will hold on a farm, with over 2,000 participants expected at Xtralarge Farms & Resorts, Ota-Idiroko, Ogun State, on Saturday, September 27, 2025.

The event, organised in collaboration with the Ogun State Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Lagos Chamber of Commerce, Association of Tourism Practitioners, and Eko Tourism Foundation, is designed to spotlight the intersection between tourism and agriculture.

Activities lined up include farm stays, excursions, food and cultural festivals, networking sessions, and empowerment opportunities targeted at farmers, students, rural communities, professionals, and youths.

Speaking on the significance of the initiative, during a media engagement with pressmen in Lagos, the Managing Director of Xtralarge Farms & Resorts, Dr. Moji Davids, said the 2025 edition would “change the narrative about tourism by positioning farms as destinations and redefining tourism through agriculture.”

According to Dr Davids, the gathering will draw government officials, industry leaders, philanthropists, traditional rulers, and key stakeholders across sectors to explore sustainable opportunities that connect tourism with food security, rural development, and cultural heritage.

World Tourism Day is commemorated annually on September 27 under the auspices of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) to foster awareness of tourism’s social, cultural, political, and economic value.