Calabar ICC positions Nigeria for business tourism market

By Chido Nwakanma

With Calabar International Convention Centre occupying a stand at the 10th Meetings Africa, Nigeria has formally announced its readiness to play in the fast-growing business tourism market. 

Calabar International Convention Centre (Calabar ICC) would open in the second quarter and host its first major event in June 2014, officials announced at a press briefing as part of their exhibition at one of the foremost global gatherings of the conference and meetings industry.

“The Calabar ICC is not only the first dedicated convention centre in Nigeria but also the only new conference centre in Africa opening this year”, Paul D’Arcy, its chief executive officer, said.

“Even more exciting is the fact that international events are already booked and well-known and experienced management team is in place.”

D’Arcy, flanked by directors Mike Lord and Ben Asoro, stated further: “Indeed, the Calabar ICC is opening a new frontier for Africa and offering meeting organisers a new venue/destination option on the continent. This is especially true for the West Africa sub region, which, until now, has been virgin terrain for business tourism.

“Nigeria’s entrance, with the Calabar ICC, into the international meetings industry, is significant, not only because of the country’s large population, but also for its projected continuous economic growth. With a GDP of US$510 billion and a population of over 170 million people, 40 million of whom are middle income earners, Nigeria is surely a viable place to do business.”

Liyel Imoke, governor of Cross River state, has led the push for the development of the Calabar ICC as part of an overall strategy of positioning Calabar as a foremost destination for tourism, both leisure and business. Calabar already hosts the annual month-long Calabar carnival that draws in thousands of visitors and tourists. The Calabar ICC would “host a wide array of events for national global audiences comprising businesses, governments and associations”.

The Calabar ICC is part of a new development area in the Cross River state capital, the 357-hectare Summit Hills. The area would feature a business hotel, an 18-hole golf course, and an international hospital.

A monorail would connect it to the Tinapa Business and Leisure Resort.

“This train will make it convenient for delegates and organisers staying at the Tinapa Lakeside Hotel (located across the lake from the Calabar ICC) to attend conferences at the centre in style and with ease.”

As the Calabar ICC officials announced the readiness of the venue, they were quick to tackle perceptions of Nigeria by foreign associations and individuals.

More than 2000 professionals in the meetings and conventions industry gathered at the Meetings Africa event held annually at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg.

“Interestingly, Nigeria epitomises an almost-bipolar view of Africa. While it is an exciting, dynamic, high-octane growth market for investors already doing business here, for others on the outside looking in, it appears chaotic, unstable, and uncertain,” D’Arcy stated.

However the unrest, instability and uncertainty is, in the main, confined to the northern regions while Calabar is located in the far south of Nigeria.”

The global business tourism industry generates billions of dollars annually. South Africa organises Meetings Africa to draw attention to its facilities for both business and leisure tourism, targeting business tourists who return latter for leisure.

Derek Haneko, South Africa’s minister for tourism, announced that the country had “secured 177 major association meetings for the next five years, thereby attracting a quarter of a million delegates with an estimated economic impact of R3.5 billion”.

“It is estimated that the business to be generated by the 184 qualified buyers at Meetings Africa this year, could bring 54 000 convention delegates worth nearly R1 billion in revenue to our shores in the next two years,” he added.

“The three top source markets for qualified buyers at Meetings Africa this year are India, USA & Canada, and China. Sixty-six percent of our qualified buyers this year are new to the market, which testifies to the major pull of what is on offer.”

The Calabar ICC seeks to attract this huge market for the country through business tourism.

“For Calabar, an already-vibrant and top destination in Nigeria, the Calabar ICC is a most needed addition to solidify its place as the preferred business tourism destination in the sub-region and the whole of Africa,” officials said.

“The city is already famous for its hospitality, experienced by the thousands of tourists from all over the continent who attend the annual festival and carnival. Carnival Calabar, the city’s most famous annual event, can only be rivalled by the Rio de Janeiro Carnival. Calabar’s rich cultural heritage, intriguing history, superior sports venues and idyllic tourist destinations offer delegates a variety of unforgettable experiences pre- or post-conference.”