Barely a month to this year’s Calabar Carnival, the Cross River State’s Governor, Bassey Otu, has promised that the event will be used to further raise the bar for tourism development and consolidate on destination branding.
Speaking during a breakfast meeting with chief executive officers in Lagos, Governor Otu said his administration would grant tax holiday to those willing to invest in the state, adding that he targets 20 percent GDP increase from tourism and other sectors of the economy.
“Your presence here speaks volume of your confidence and support for my administration. I don’t take that for granted at all. For those of you willing to do business in Cross River State, we assure you of every incentive and support to do business including tax holidays and lots more,” he stated.
While expressing the administration’s determination to create an enabling environment for all businesses to thrive, the governor said, “For all the banks, manufacturers, and every other business willing to come to our state, we assure you of great opportunities to make good fortunes in terms of fantastic government policy, regulations and conducive business environment.”
Emphasizing the economic focus of his administration, Otu pointed out that currently, the state’s GDP is growing at 20%, with amalgamation of the potentials and opportunities in various sectors. And for Diasporans, tourists and investors to explore the huge economic potentials of the carnival, he said there has to be knowledge and understanding of so many things, hence the need for the Lagos stakeholders’ engagement.
Also speaking, the CEO of Okhma Consul, the marketing company of Carnival Calabar, Mary Ephraim-Egbas, said the governor and his team are passionate about this year’s edition because it is one of the main assets of the Cross River State’s tourism initiative.
Earlier, chairman of the carnival commission, Mr. Gabe Onah had expressed the state government’s willingness to grow the tourism sector, calling on investors to see the state as an investment destination of choice.