The tourism sector, which accounts for 5.9 per cent of the state’s GDP, is driving economic growth in Cross River’s $26.3bn economy, according to latest data from the state tourism bureau (CRSTB). The sector experiences continuous growth with the increasing trend of seasonal domestic holidays amongst the upper and middle classes in the social strata of Nigeria. Today, the littoral state is seeing trickles from a sector it began to build only two decades ago.
The Cross River State tourism sector is driven by the annual Calabar Carnival and festivals, a 32-day 2025 festive period, which began in 2000, attracting thousands of visitors from all over the world.
According to CRSTB, there is a 24 per cent increase in visitor flow into the state since 2024. Last year alone saw over 248,000 visitors. The visitors undertook transportation spending put at N10.6 billion, with high hotel occupancy rates.
However, this is only scratching the surface, when compared to the Nigerian travel and tourism sector valued at approximately $17.3 billion as of 2022, contributing roughly 3.6 per cent to the nation’s GDP. Tourism experts say the state’s and Nigeria’s tourism is recovering strongly from pandemic lows. It remains an emerging sector with significant growth potential, often compared to higher contributions in other African nations like Kenya (9 per cent) and Morocco (12 per cent).
Taken to the global tourism scale, Nigeria’s level pales into insignificance, with the global sector experiencing record-breaking growth, with its total economic contribution to global GDP projected to reach $11.7 trillion in 2025 up from $11.1 trillion in 2024. Accounting for nearly 10 per cent of the world’s economy, the sector supports over 350 million jobs. The market is expected to continue rapid growth, reaching $12.3 trillion by 2032.
Ojoi Ekpenyong, managing director of CRSTB, said statistics from the Calabar Carnivals and festivals reinforced the event’s growing status as one of Nigeria’s most powerful tourism drivers.
He said the visitor inflow for the 2025 edition exceeded all previous editions. He noted that tourism activity between November 2025 and January 2026 recorded sharp gains across accommodation, transportation, attraction and entertainment sites.
In addition, the Calabar International Airport handled over 12,000 inbound passengers during the carnivals and festivals period, with 81 per cent arriving from other Nigerian states, and about four per cent from the diaspora (the United Kingdom, Canada, Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea).
“The surge in traffic translated into strong performance across the hospitality sector. 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 December 16 and 30, 2025. Total hotel booking revenue was estimated at N3.9 billion, with more than 26,000 room nights confirmed in December alone,” Ekpenyong said in a statement, reviewing the 20th anniversary of the hospitality events.
The CRSTB boss said revenue from food, beverages and breakfast services stood at about N2.05 billion in the review period, reflecting longer visitor stays and increased spending. There was significant tourism onsite visits, with more than 370,000 tourists visiting major attractions, including Obudu Mountain Resort, Kwa Falls and Marina Resort between November and December 2025, 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 night 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. Also, 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.
Equally, the carnivals and festivals saw attendance and media reach expanding sharply. 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 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,” the tourism bureau said.
