Carnival Calabar: Otu To Dole Out N10m To Hoteliers For Upgrade, Set To Reopen Marina Cinema

By Ekanem Asuquo 
Calabar

As part of measures to rejig the tourism sector in Cross River, the state government has concluded plans to assist 10 hotels in the capital city of Calabar with the sum of N1m each to enhance facilities and aesthetics  towards the Carnival Calabar.

The package is part of government incentives intended to assist hoteliers who are considered to be major stakeholders in the tourism sub-sector to upgrade basic facilities to guarantee the comfort of guests expected to troop to the city for the Carnival which is bouncing back after a lull during the last administration 

Managing Director of the  state's  Tourism Bureau, Prince Ekpenyong Ojoi who disclosed this while exchanging views with journalists in Calabar said; "Governor Bassey Otu is poised to revamp the sector with innovations not only to restore lost glory but to overhaul the system in line with global best practices"

Prince Ojoi Ekpenyong - MD CRS Tourism Bureau

"From the interest and passion demonstrated by our Governor, Senator Bassey Otu, it's glaring that he is in a hurry to get our tourism industry back on track to checkmate the downward slide aggravated by years of neglect and poor funding"

He disclosed that "Apart from injecting funds into the hospitality industry, we are also fine-tuning plans to reopen Cinema located within the Marina Resort, now known as the Kada Cinema; we want to give visitors to the Resort a complete dose of the glamour and bliss once associated with the serene tourist attraction" 

Ojoi revealed that the Bureau has opened discussions with key players in the global movie market for streaming of the latest movies at the Kada Cinema to keep expected  guests at the edge of their seats while watching.