The Cross River Tourism Bureau has reported that the recently concluded 32-day Calabar Carnival attracted over 300,000 tourists to Calabar, Cross River State.
This was revealed in a statement by the bureau’s Managing Director, Ekpenyong Ojoi, in Lagos on Saturday.
Ojoi highlighted a remarkable 42 percent increase in tourist attendance compared to the 2023 edition of the carnival, noting that the event drew visitors from across Nigeria, including Abuja, Lagos, and Akwa Ibom State.
“Calabar recorded over 300,000 tourists from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31st, 2024, who came in for the Calabar Carnival to see the OMR, Marina Resort and the Kwa Falls,” he said.
He further added, “The number of visitors to the destination for the 2024 Calabar festival outweighed that of 2023 by 42 per cent. An estimated 450,000 onsite spectators witnessed the Carnival Calabar event, the Cultural Carnival, the Children’s Carnival and the Bikers Carnival events, as against the 279,486 onsite spectators recorded in 2023.”
Ojoi revealed that the carnival’s global reach was also significant, with over 1.2 billion viewers tuning in via DSTV channel 198 and more than 100 million streaming the events online.
Accommodation in Calabar saw a substantial boost during the festival period, with hotel occupancy rates climbing to 68 percent compared to 57 percent in 2023.
Between December 15 and December 29, over 90 percent of hotels recorded full bookings, with revenue from accommodation estimated at N2.79 billion ($1.74 million).
“Revenue generated from hotel bookings is estimated at N2.79 billion ($1.74 million) with N25,000 per night confirmed hotel bookings in December alone for about 3,600 available bed spaces in Calabar Cluster,” Ojoi stated.
He also noted that revenue from food and breakfast during the carnival period amounted to N900 million ($562,000), with top hotels such as Hogis Royale, Metropolitan Hotel, and Monty Suites generating more than half of the accommodation revenue.
Ticketed events, including the Funfest, Calabar Fashion Show, and Queen of Humanity, brought in an estimated N100 million ($66,000).
Additionally, nightlife activities at the destination’s five major nightclubs contributed N400 million ($267,000).
Ojoi estimated that other key activities, such as online streaming, food and drinks, dancers, and car rentals, generated around N1 billion ($667,000). He also disclosed that visitors spent approximately N8.87 billion on transportation, covering air, road, and sea travel.
