Carnival Calabar: Chairman seeks more investment to sustain festival

The Chairman of Carnival Calabar, Gabe Onah, has called for stronger private sector investment to sustain the popular street party.

Onah made the call on the sidelines of the 21st Akwaaba African Travel Market (AFTM) on Tuesday in Lagos.

The chairman said the annual carnival, which would turn 20 this year, was originally designed as a strategy for community participation and economic development.

“Carnival Calabar must breathe beyond the stranglehold of government.

“For sustainability, the private sector has to take more than a passing interest,” he said.

Onah credited the continuity of the festival to successive governors of Cross River, such as Donald Duke, Liyel Imoke, Ben Ayade, and the present governor, Bassey Otu.

He, however, emphasised that the community buy-in and the welcoming spirit of Calabar’s people were just as significant.

“The smiles of our people, the restfulness of the city and our natural blessings – vegetation, mountains, waterfronts and greenery – are what make Calabar stand out,” he said.

Speaking on Akwaaba’s role in regional tourism, Onah described the event as the melting point for the travel and trade industry.

“In tourism, we will keep saying partners must collaborate, not compete.

“Akwaaba has successfully done this for Nigeria,” he said.

Highlighting emerging trends, he said today’s tourists are digital, unique and global.

Onah emphasised the need to embrace artificial intelligence in tourism promotion.

The chairman added that families were becoming more central to travel decisions, which he said informed the upgrade of the children’s carnival to a junior carnival in Calabar.

Onah also noted that there was a growing demand for takeaways and memorabilia, as visitors seek lasting connections to cultural experiences.