By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
Cross River State Tourism Bureau has disclosed that one of the tourist facilities in the state, Marina Resort generates N8 billion annually to the state coffers.
The bureau added that the tourism sector possesses improved potentials.
Speaking to journalists in Calabar on Monday, the Managing Director, Cross River State Tourism Bureau, Ekpenyong Ojoi, said the Marina Resort tourism facility is now very viable and open to investors both locally and abroad.
The bureau also announced plans to launch another cultural festival in the state called Kulturama, scheduled to feature, cooking competition, bikers parade, talents, cultural displays, comedy, and Cross River State cuisines.
The four-day event is billed to be held between February 13th to 16th, annually beginning from 2025. The event will be held immediately after the Calabar International Carnival.
Ojoi said, “Marina Resort has attracted N8 billion naira to Cross River State through the private sector. It has brought the safest, most affordable and safe transport means to and fro Calabar to Uyo, worth over N2 billion naira.
“We’re set to commission an all inclusive entertainment centre inside the Marina by December. What we’re doing with Kulturama is to add to what we already had to bring people back to Cross River State.”
The festival director, Harmony Ikwoh Odwong, said the Kulturama festival is meant to keep the tourism sector afloat after the Calabar International Carnival coming up in December.
The organizers assured that the culture and talent packed event will award juicy prizes to winners during the cooking, and other competition lines up for kick-off.
