The Executive Governor of Cross River State, Prof. Ben Ayade, has appointed Mr. Ikechi Uko of Jedidah Promotions as consultant to help internationalise Carnival Calabar in 2015.
Uko, who is also the organiser of Akwaaba African Travel Market in Lagos, Accra Weizo in Ghana and Africa Bantaba in Atlanta, Georgia, was hired to extend the flavour of the carnival beyond the shores of Nigeria.
The Governor, who is also a successful businessman, stated that his desires to add international flavour to this year’s carnival necessitated the need to tap Uko’s extensive global tourism connections.
Carnival Calabar is the biggest tourism event in Nigeria attracting close to two million people annually.
Tagged ‘Africa’s biggest street party’, the carnival is now 10 years old.
The governor believes that the carnival is now a mature product that should be harnessed properly as an international tourism product.
In his first move as International Tourism Consultant, Uko, who also publishes the leading travel magazine in West Africa, Travelers and Atqnews.com, briefed members of the Nigerian Association of Tour Operators (NATOP) on the 2015 carnival.
He urged them to make this year’s event better with their global reach, noting that already many countries have pledged to be a part of this year’s Carnival Calabar.
NATOP President, Nkereuwem Onung, promised that NATOP members would promote the 2015 carnival with three days, six days and eight days packages.
Onung commended Uko on the quick move to involve NATOP and its members in the carnival this year.
Jedidah Promotions is a specialized media organisation with offices in Accra, Ghana and Lagos and had been involved in handling the media for the carnival for the last three years.
Source : Independent