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

Onah stated this on the sidelines of the 21st Akwaaba African Travel Market 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.

“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 stressed 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.
Carnival Calabar has shown its strength as both a cultural celebration and an economic driver for Cross River State. But as Chairman Gabe Onah noted, its long-term success will rely on greater private sector involvement to ensure the festival continues to thrive beyond government support.