The 2024 Calabar Carnival, which ran from November 30 to December 31, attracted over 300,000 tourists, who collectively spent approximately N8.87 billion on transportation to the destination.
This expenditure, covering air, road, and sea travel, underscores the carnival’s growing economic impact on Calabar, the capital of Cross River State, and the state as a whole.
Nairametrics reached out to the Cross River Tourism Bureau, and the office of its Managing Director, Ekpenyong Ojoi, who provided the data, highlighting the event’s substantial contribution to the local economy.
The 2024 Calabar Carnival, a fusion of music, dance, culture, and innovation, saw a remarkable 42% increase in tourist attendance compared to 2023 when just over 190,000 visitors were recorded. The event’s continued expansion was driven by its increasing popularity, with many visitors coming from major Nigerian cities such as Abuja, Lagos, and neighbouring Akwa Ibom State.
“Calabar recorded over 300,000 tourists from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31st, 2024, who came in for the Calabar Carnival and see the OMR, Marina Resort and the Kwa Falls.
“Most of the tourists were from Abuja, Lagos and neighbouring Akwa Ibom State.
“Again, there was a tremendous increase in tourists to the destination when compared to the 2023 figures of over 190,345 tourists to our enchanted attraction sites, within the same period.
“The number of visitors to the destination for the 2024 Calabar festival outweighed that of 2023 by 42%,” Ojoi noted.
The carnival featured jaw-dropping parades, exhilarating performances, and creative brand experiences that captivated attendees from start to finish. Its reputation as a must-see cultural celebration is evident in the diverse range of tourists it draws each year.
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In addition to the impressive visitor numbers, the 2024 carnival also recorded a significant increase in onsite attendance. More than 450,000 spectators witnessed various events, including the Cultural Carnival, Children’s Carnival, Bikers Carnival, and Funfest, up from 279,486 spectators in 2023.
- The data provided by the office of the Managing Director of the Cross River Tourism Bureau noted that the carnival’s influence extended globally, with over 1.2 billion viewers tuning in via DSTV, and an additional 100 million people watching through live online streaming.
- The hospitality sector also felt the carnival’s impact, with hotel occupancy rates rising from 57% in 2023 to 68% in 2024. Between December 15 and December 29, more than 90% of hotels in Calabar reached full capacity.
Furthermore, hotel bookings alone generated an estimated N2.79 billion in revenue. Food and beverage services contributed an additional N900 million, while other activities such as car rentals, entertainment, and online streaming generated another N1 billion.
The Calabar Carnival, first held in 2004 during the administration of former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke, has evolved into one of Africa’s premier cultural events. The carnival’s ongoing success highlights its importance as a key driver of tourism and economic growth for Calabar and the wider region.
