Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu, has disclosed that his administration is positioning the world-famous Calabar Carnival for global streaming platforms, including Netflix, as part of efforts to expand the festival's international reach and cement Cross River's reputation as Africa's leading tourism destination.
Governor Otu made the disclosure during an interview with media personality Diana Mary Nsan on the programme Dialogue, where he outlined his administration's plans to modernise and internationalise the state's tourism industry.
According to the governor, Cross River has once again established itself as Nigeria's foremost tourism destination, with the Calabar Carnival attracting renewed global attention.
He revealed that the Carnival recently ranked second among major attractions at the London Expo, describing the recognition as evidence that the festival is regaining its international appeal.
"Our carnival was number two in terms of attraction at the London Expo. That tells you the figures," the governor said.
Governor Otu explained that his administration has begun digitising the Calabar Carnival to make it accessible to millions of viewers across the world.
He said discussions are underway with major global entertainment platforms, including Netflix, to explore opportunities for broadcasting and promoting the annual festival to a wider international audience.
"I've digitalised the Carnival in a manner that we will now have Netflix and other organisations who are interested to come on board very seriously," he stated.
The governor said the move is expected to boost Cross River's global visibility, attract more international visitors, and create new economic opportunities for businesses that depend on tourism.
Beyond expanding the Carnival's international audience, Governor Otu also announced reforms aimed at improving transparency in the competition.
He disclosed that his administration is moving away from a judging system controlled solely by a select panel, allowing participating carnival bands and other stakeholders to contribute to determining the final winners.
According to him, the reforms are intended to make the competition more credible, transparent, and acceptable to participants.
Governor Otu further noted that the last edition of the Calabar Carnival witnessed an overwhelming turnout, with the city struggling to accommodate the huge number of visitors.
"It was very clear that the city couldn't contain the crowd," he said, describing the development as a strong indication that confidence in the Carnival has been restored.
While acknowledging that the Calabar Carnival remains the state's biggest tourism product, the governor stressed that Cross River cannot rely on the annual festival alone.
He said the state is now investing in the development and promotion of other tourism destinations to encourage visitors to spend more time in Cross River throughout the year.
According to him, the state possesses numerous natural and historical attractions that have existed for centuries and are unlike anything found elsewhere.
Governor Otu said these sites will be upgraded, promoted, and packaged to complement the Carnival and strengthen Cross River's position as one of Africa's premier tourism destinations.
He reaffirmed his administration's commitment to using tourism as a major driver of economic growth, job creation, and investment, expressing confidence that Cross River's unique cultural heritage and natural attractions will continue to attract visitors from across Nigeria and around the world.
Post A Comment: