From: Diana Okon-Effiong, Calabar.
Cross River State Governo,r Prof Ben Ayade, has called on leaders in West Africa sub-region to look outside the box and embrace the abundance tourism potentials which he described as a gold mine 
to improve on their economies and well being of their citizenry.
to improve on their economies and well being of their citizenry.Ayade made the assertion at the WEIZO Tourism Market Exhibition, 2015 held at La Palm Beach Resort Hotel, Accra, Ghana.
Ayade, who was the chairman of the occasion organized by Africa Travels Quarterly, AKWABA, said that the challenge of unemployment will be a thing of the past if tourism is harness to its fullest because the sub-region has comparative advantage over others.
While enunciating the enormous benefits of tourism if free movement is allowed as captured in the theme “Seamless Travel in West Africa”, the governor who was represented by his Deputy, Prof. Ivara Esu, described the event as historic.
“This event today in Acrra is auspicious not only because of the premium we place on tourism as a vehicle for socio-economic development, but we see it as a step in the right direction for the sub-region to answer the challenges thrown on us by the United States of America and other Western countries who have reduced their consumptions of our petroleum products which we all depended on for sustenance of the economy.
“The theme, “Seamless travel in West Africa” is apt if not for nothing else, to remind ourselves and our leaders in particularly that indeed the time has come for us to open our boarders with a view to trapping all our monies that are being spent outside the shores to ensure rapid development.
He explained that seamless traveling was indeed one way of keeping the sub-region together, improving it economy and well being of our people.”
“As a new administration, we are very ambitious about the development of tourism by expanding the scope, spice up the already existed offerings and introduce more ones to attract more human traffics to to state that will in turn be translated into tangible economic gains.”
The governor also restated that the Cross River state had secured hosting right for the maiden edition of Miss Africa in December this year as well as play host to the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) pageant in October.
“We look forward to having you honor and indulge your selves in these events.”
Speaking on the state brand which has earned it its status as the preferred destination in Nigeria, Ayade stated: “Cross River State has over years pride itself as a leading tourists destination in Africa with fantastic offerings like the Carnival Calabar. Today almost all Cross Riverians belong to one carnival band or the other. I belong to the Master Blasta, that how we are, and how the state has grown in lips and bounds in terms of tourism.”
“We strongly believe that tourism is a major potential for the development of the region and if the we galvanize our resources together and adopt a seamless traveling enshrined as one of the ECOWAS protocols, we will develop drastically and improve on our economic fortunes. Because there is no reason why we should not move freely within the zone if we desire economic growth.
“Let me use this opportunity to inform you that successive administration in Cross River State right to pioneer of tourism, Mr. Donald Duke, we have had improvement in the quality and cpntents in our tourism products and offerings especially our flagship event, Carnival Calabar and 32-day non stop Calabar Festival in December. I don’t know if any city in the world today has such package where almost everything is shot down and various attractive events is organized daily which culminate in the carnival.”
Also speaking the Ghanaian Minister of Tourism, Culture & Creative Arts, Mrs. Elizabeth Offosu-Adjare disclosed that the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) barometer on international tourism sees the West African sub-region as the least attractive destination within the Africa region. Africa gets 53 million about 5 percent out of over a billion global tourists.
We owe it a duty to use our comparative advantage to help shape the tourism industry in the sub-region as it can contribute immensely in employment generation for the teeming youths if the lovely beaches, rich culture and breathtaking destinations are fully explore and adequately harnessed for business and leisure.
She lauded the organisers for their foresight adding that: “The most refreshing news about the event is how it is bringing the sub-region’s tourism practitioners together and reinforcing especially the long standing Ghana-Nigeria relationship.
The event which feayured among others the destination brand with the carnival as it flagship was attended by countries in the West Africa sub-region.
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