C'River Advocates Community-Based Tourism, Says Some Tourism Sites To Be Ready Soon
By Judex OKORO
Cross River State Commissioner For Tourism, Arts And Culture, Hon. Abubakar Ewa, has advocated community-based tourism, saying peaceful coexistence amongst the citizenry is a sin qua non for tourism to thrive
Speaking at the 2024 World Tourism Day's celebration held at the Slave History Museum, Calabar, with the theme: “Tourism and Peace,” held Friday, at the Slave History Museum, Calabar, Ewa enjoined urged all to appreciate and imbibe the peaceful nature of the state Governor, Prince Bassey Otu, “who by character personifies peace and has entrenched peace in the state since assumption of office.
The Commissioner said: ”We are witness to the fact that His Excellency’s strong disposition as agent of peace, as showcased in his mantra of people first and season of sweetness is not lip service as we are enjoying peace.
Besides, we are experiencing a new surge of private sector driven investments in the state, especially in tourism and its related sectors.
"The Ministry is into community-based tourism and is ready to ensure the environments where the state’s tour sites are located are safe and ready for visitors, revealing the near ready completion state of Qua Falls."
Presenting a paper titled: “Ecotourism and Peace as a tool for sustainable development in Cross River State,” an Environmentalist, Dr Odiga Odiga, stated that “tourism is a divine mandate and for it to thrive in the State, the people must consider being in obedience to God’s mandate on it by imbibing peace as tourism is peace driven.
“Cross River state is a biodiversity hotspot with over 1,500 plant species, 25 edible mushrooms, diverse Forest, mangroves, animals, diverse species of birds, and also considered as a uniquely conservative area.”
He appealed to the state and federal governments to use their political will power to draw out ecotourism strategies and policies that would promote it and move for synergy between Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) to execute these strategies and policies as major stakeholders.
In a goodwill message, the State Chairman Hoteliers Association, Mr Charles Ogar, described the event as a humble show which according to him, “is better than the jamborees.”
Ogar commended the Commissioner for Tourism Art and Culture and his team for considering the tourism students from different secondary schools present in this year’s celebration, stating that there’s no tourism without them.
The event featured cultural dance by the department of culture and heritage, class presentation by students of Hope Waddle Training Institution as well as panel discussion by stakeholders in the tourism industry.
Dignatories present include state Commissioner for establishment and training, Mrs. Laurencia Ita, the dean faculty of environmental science, University of Calabar, Prof. Anim O. Ajake, the Special Adviser to the Governor on hospitality, Hon. Albert Kusi, Special Assistants, Personal Assistants and tourism teachers.
