Akwa Ibom is fast emerging as the preferred tourism destination in the country. It is becoming the cynosure of tourism enthusiasts and is attracting people both for business and leisure. They are trooping in to savour its rich cultural and superlative hospitality endeavours.
From the recently concluded FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, where the FIFA certified Godswill Akpabio international Stadium in Uyo, the state capital served as the only venue, being the host of the celebrated singer and entertainer, Davido’s, first leg 5live concert tour and to the popular Uyo fashion week in its fifth year, its reputation and fame as the tourism destination are growing steadily.
Many of the enthusiasts point to the relative peace in the state which is often seen as one of the most peaceful states in the country, the good network of roads, a conscious effort by the previous and succeeding administrations, easy connectivity, thanks to Ibom Air, a wholly owned airline of the state government which has assumed a leadership role in the industry.
The airline recently signed a partnership agreement with Akwa United Football Club, a significant milestone for sports and private sector collaboration, an indication of the airline’s glowing influence and commitment to “supporting” impactful community-focused initiatives.
The sponsorship deal, valued at N200m for an initial period of two years includes both cash and in-kind contributions, with 50 percent of the total value provided in kind.”
According to Aniefiok Macaulay, a media personality and tourism enthusiast, Akwa Ibom is able to attract tourists because of its excellent facilities which he said include the Ibom shopping city, the international hotel and an international conference centre, the Arise park with children playground plus an artificial lake created to boost tourism development.
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For him, Akwa Ibom is well positioned to host mega events and ready to showcase its exceptional hospitality and cuisines adding that the “Uyo Fashion Week demonstrates a deliberate commitment to giving visibility to the up and coming fashion designers who may have been limited in one way or the other.
“It has encouraged the young creative talents to arise beyond the local scene to the international runways and create their identity and brands.”
Mae Edmond, the convener of the Uyo Fashion Week believes that it has become the platform to reach designers on how to commercialise their enterprise in the creative industry.
“For us to be able to showcase Akwa Ibom at its best, we needed to create Uyo Fashion Weeks, it is about us as a people and as a state, to be able to showcase that which we have and then be able to upscale the creativity within the state,” adding that it would “contribute to the amazing work being done by Governor Umo Eno in the tourism sector.”
According to her, the creative industry is one sector that is powerful, because everybody is affected by the creative sector, and it is attracting tourists to the state and is set to be one of the events in the tourism calendar of the state in addition to the yearly Christmas festival lasting one month.
Since its debut in 2022, the Uyo Fashion Week has transcended the runway to become a cultural awakening, an enduring celebration and scale. It has embodied the rhythm of the rising Akwa Ibom, an emerging tourism destination where innovation meets enterprise, Edmong said.
According to the organisers, the Uyo Fashion Week has been supported by the state government, “showing the state’s commitment to youth empowerment, creativity and sustainable enterprise while the latest season celebrated rebirth, resilience and refinement. It featured Emmanuel Umoh, a former Big Brother Naija housemate, the runaway transformed into a living mosaic of heritage and innovation, honouring the timeless interplay between culture and contemporary design, drawing enthusiasts around the country.”
Perhaps, one of the most profound testimonies about the growing influence of Akwa Ibom as a tourist destination came from from the celebrated signer and entertainer, Davido who was in Uyo, the state capital for his five-city concert, a massive turn out that saw fans asking for more after a performance never witnessed in the state.
“When we were looking around Africa, five places came and Akwa Ibom was top on the list. A lot of people are flying from other states that don’t have this type of facility.
“I am excited, it is the best of its kind. We toured America already and it was a great success and we were looking for a good facility around Africa and Akwa Ibom is one of the places that we found. You have a standard facility, that is why we are starting here. As time goes, we will keep doing the other states and I am just excited the stadium is already filled up, so let’s get ready and shut it down,”
Davido, who literally shut down the facility with his superb performance, gave the fans what they were looking for, a night to remember, a performance never seen before and the atmosphere became electrifying immediately after his appearance was announced.
Indeed, Akwa Ibom is a fast growing tourism destination, it has achieved this through a deliberate effort by stakeholders to leverage on the facilities at its disposal, a lush green environment and known for its neatness to emerge as the preferred destination for tourists in the country.
