Cross River generates N17.4 billion from 2025 Calabar Carnival — Tourism bureau

The Cross River State Tourism Bureau says over N17.4 billion was injected into the state treasury from its 32-day festivals and carnivals in December 2025.

Ojoi Ekpenyong, the managing director of the tourism bureau, who disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday, said the event hosted over 248,000 visitors.

He said that the statistics reinforced the event’s growing status as one of Nigeria’s “most powerful” tourism drivers.

According to him, the visitor inflow for the 2025 edition exceeded 2024 figures by about 24 per cent.

He noted that tourism activity between November 2025 and January 2026 recorded sharp gains across accommodation, transportation, attraction and entertainment sites.

Mr Ekpenyong said that the Calabar International Airport handled over 12,000 inbound passengers during the period, with 81 per cent arriving from other Nigerian states and about four per cent from the diaspora.

He added that overall visitor movement into the city in December was estimated at more than 248,000 people, with transportation spending alone at N10.6 billion.

“The surge in traffic translated into strong performance across the hospitality sector,” he said.

He said hotels in Calabar recorded an average occupancy rate of 72 per cent, up from 68 per cent in 2024, while peak occupancy rose to over 95 per cent between 16 December and 30 December 2025.

“Total hotel booking revenue was estimated at N3.9 billion, with more than 26,000 room nights confirmed in December alone.”

He said that revenue from food, beverages and breakfast services stood at about N2.05 billion, reflecting longer visitor stays and increased spending.

Mr Ekpenyong further noted that tourism sites recorded significant growth during the period.

He said that between November and December 2025, more than 370,000 tourists visited major attractions, including Obudu Mountain Resort, Kwa Falls and Marina Resort, representing nearly 80 per cent growth compared to 2023 and a clear rise from 2024 figures.

He said that beyond hospitality, the festival continues to energise Calabar’s creative and nightlife economy.

According to him, major ticketed events, including Funfest, Queen of Humanity and Calabar Fashion Show, generated an estimated N130 million, while five leading nightclubs recorded combined revenues of about N460 million.

Mr Ekpenyong said that ancillary activities – from food vending and logistics to car rentals and creative merchandising – contributed an additional N1.7 billion, supporting hundreds of small and medium-scale enterprises.

He said that attendance and media reach also expanded sharply.

Mr Ekpenyong said an estimated 780,000 on-site spectators attended the Cultural Carnival, Children’s Carnival, Bikers’ Carnival and the main Carnival Calabar events.

“Globally, the festivals reached over 1.3 billion television viewers via DSTV Channel 198 and partner networks, while live online streaming exceeded 120 million viewers across digital platforms.

“What began two decades ago as a modest holiday celebration has evolved into a full-blown cultural spectacle,” he said.

He said that, aside from boosting the local economy, the festivals also strengthened Nigeria’s destination brand in the global tourism market.

Mr Ekpenyong solicited sustained government backing, stronger private-sector partnerships and continued investment in infrastructure and service delivery.

According to him, the Calabar Festivals and Carnivals are well-positioned for even greater impact in the years ahead.

Call for global awareness campaign

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that Portugal’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Paulo Santos, had urged organisers of the carnival to start a global campaign to raise awareness of the festival and attract more international visitors.

“I know that you have been doing this for 20 years, but it looks like you’ve been doing it for 200 or 2,000 because of the level of professionalism and the attendance that you have here.

“A lot of people are not aware that this festival exists and how good it is,” Mr Santos said during the flag-off of the Bikers Carnival, a major activity that features during the festival.

Recalling historical ties between Portugal and the area, the envoy said Portuguese sailors were in the region more than 550 years ago.

READ ALSO: Portuguese Ambassador urges global campaign for Calabar carnival

He said the major reason was that Calabar, which meant ‘the quiet harbour’ in Portuguese, was a calming port of call for sailors during their travels.

He praised the hospitality of the people and described Nigeria’s strength as its diversity.

“Whoever thinks that Nigeria is monolithic, that person is very wrong. There’s a huge variety,” he said.

The ambassador pledged to encourage other diplomats to visit the carnival during their vacations.

(NAN)