Calabar Carnival Records More Foreign Visitors

Mr Effiong Ojoi, a Tourism Officer with the Cross River Government, said on Thursday that the number of foreign participants at the ongoing Calabar Carnival had increased.
He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar that the number of foreign visitors recorded in 2012 was higher compared to that of 2011. ``There had been an increased influx of foreign visitors every year and I belief in year 2013, the number of visitors would increase, ``Ojoi said. According to him, the foreign visitors are from Brazil, Jamaica, Korea Republic, Ghana, Cameroon and Trinidad and Tobago. He said that the Calabar Carnival had grown tremendously to become a leading forum for leisure and tourism destination in Africa. ``There was increasing number of exhibitors and visitors from all over Nigeria and the world, participating at the carnival. ``The carnival has attracted both local and foreign visitors over the years, `` Ojoi said. He added that the festival would give both local and foreign tourists the opportunity to feel the tourism potential of the state and to know about the people’s culture. Ojoi said that 22 states of Nigeria were participating in the ongoing carnival, compared to 12 states that participated in 2011. He said that further increased influx of both foreign and local participants would be expected at subsequent editions of the carnival. NAN