Emeka Anokwuru
Certainly, Cross River State is not resting on its one-month-long-premium tourism product, carnival Calabar, the state is on overdrive to up its octopus hold on the sector with a sport tourism cycling project dubbed AkwaCross. The game plan is to keep the state continuously in focus with strategic and sustainable tourism activities, building up an entirely dependent economy on tourism culture, the environment and other down-stream influencers of the business.
AkwaCross cycling project which is specially dedicated to enhancing the historical and cultural relationship between the people of Akwa Ibom and Cross River, who share similar narratives on culture, dances, language, fashion and gastronomy, comes up on March 14, an innovation critical to generating domestic visitations and reconnection. It is also planned to drive excellence in sports and physical well-being of the people, not excluding visitors as a well toned body contributes appreciably to the progress and advancement of humanity.
That’s not all about the rebirth and restructuring of tourism agenda of this state blessed with virgin aquatic and natural endowment as plans are also afoot to organize the biggest training program for the hospitality operators and investors come March 19, 2020.
Already, Obudu Mountain resort on the northern fringes of the state is back on the tour circuit. The iconic resort with surreal landscape and cable car, remains the state’s best highly sought after tourist delight and activator of structured visits.
Eric Anderson, the commissioner for tourism, disclosed that all tour sites in the two states will receive facelift to make them attractive to investors and tourists.
“We are carefully addressing issues that help us create a true tourism environment that will place the state as most visited in Africa and at same time develop verifiable tourism economy capable of providing jobs and help protecting our prime fauna and flora ecosystem.” he explained.
Anderson who promised to sufficiently link other key tourism product drivers into top finishing ranking, stated that marine tourism will not be left out on the Cross River tourism agenda as plans have advanced to give the iconic marina resort a big boost, to increase the unusual visitor traffic to the city-center located recreation site.
“We are sure Cross River State can make a big statement apart from our carnival Calabar project. Our desire is to be seen as the best destination in Nigeria, in fact, in all of Africa. We are determined to prove a point and we are encouraged by the governor to make this state the most preferred among local and international visitors.” Eric Anderson told a select tourism Journalists over the weekend.