Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Government of Akwa Ibom State

Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Government of Akwa Ibom State

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Vision for the Tourism Industry:

To develop the industry in a sustainable manner as a critical source of revenue and employment generation as well as wealth creation. Believing strongly that if well developed, Akwa Ibom State will have a fair share of the global tourism revenue. With all the planned infrastructure in place: an airport, a seaport and rail lines, the State will be accessible and will definitely be a tourism destination in the sub-region. But the greatest potential is the world-class ocean beach at Ibeno and Eastern Obolo.

:: Recent Articles

Jan 21, 2013: Akwa Ibom sets 2015 deadline for Ibom airport completion

Dec 18, 2012: Akpabio Commended for Boosting Nigerian Tourism Potentials

Sep 23, 2012: Twenty Five Years After, We Have Reasons to Thank God ...Akpabio, As Akwa Ibom Celebrates Silver Jubilee

Jul 16, 2011: AKS Airport To Airlift Christian Pilgrims to Rome, Greece

Jul 2, 2011: IMG Chief, Logan, Wants Nigerian Pros Accorded Due Respect

Jun 29, 2011: I want to make Akwa Ibom the Medical Tourism Capital of Africa --Dr Moses Udoh

Jul 27, 2010: AKS Government Embarked on Minor Cabinet Reshuffling

Jun 16, 2010: Ibom Tropicana: Tourism and Entertainment Redefined

Jan 28, 2010: Presentation of 2010 Budget Proposal to Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly

Nov 26, 2009: Now You`re Flying: Akwa Ibom International Airport Commences Commercial Flights

Sep 18, 2009: The Magic of Ibom International Airport

Aug 22, 2009: Beauty looking for ‘Queen of the South’

Aug 5, 2009: Information Boss Commends AK Nollywood Stars

Jun 21, 2009: Recovery of Oil Wells

Jun 21, 2009: We Can Turn Tourism into our Main Source of Revenue

Mar 6, 2009: Ukanafun Inaugurates Tourism Committee

Nov 26, 2008: Silverbird acquires Kenya`s Nu Metro, starts operations in Ghana

Oct 10, 2008: How we`re attracting investments to Akwa Ibom, by Gov Akpabio

Oct 8, 2008: A`Ibom Flays Critics of N33bn Entertainment Project

Oct 5, 2008: Nigeria: Tropicana Composite Entertainment Center


	Pursues enlightenment, learning, and refinement about ourselves and features of our everyday existence and social life as a people, transferring this knowledge to future generations, showing hospitality and promoting people travelling to the state for recreation with world class facilities and our citizens with a welcoming disposition.

Services

	Packaging of Cultural Festivals In line with Government's drive for empowerment and re-positioning the state we are repackaged most of our dances, plays, and performances for box office appeal and global rendition so patrons can enjoy astonishing performances
	Hotels Supervision & Monitoring Here we ensure services rendered by hoteliers support public good and comfort and that they conduct their concerns with patriotic zeal in promoting national integrity
	Promotion of Tourism Potentials Elevates the hospitality of the people, the ambience of the environment, the appealing infrastructures for recreation and holidaying, and the rich cultural heritage of Akwa Ibom State to the global worldstage.
	Propagation of A Rich Cultural Heritage Extracting shared symbolism from our diversified cultural heritage coupled with a glorious history of the past to bank upon for suggesting immaterial, ideal, or otherwise intangible truth towards a modern unified Akwa Ibom society.

Impact

	Language, beliefs, customs, and traditional institutions Collective propagation of our culture through cherished values of common understanding, peace, love and national unity to signify the uniqueness and originality of the Akwa Ibom personality has resulted in the popularity of our cultural components and their integration and acceptance outside the state.
	Social Infrastructures Elaborate social infrastructures all over the state for the comfort of tourists such as the Tropicana Entertainment Complex constructed on an area of 82 hectares, the LeMeridien Hotel and Golf Resort, museums, and a well managed environment complement the unrivalled wealth of scenic landscapes, long sandy coast, a wealth of wildlife and culture to make Akwa Ibom a rich tourism destination.
	Traditional Cuisine Our delightful cuisines are sought after far beyond the shores of Akwa Ibom and have become major nutritional components for healthy living
	Fashion Our traditional dress codes adorn men, women, and children as elegant and projecting the best of human qualities.
	Food And Accommodation Services Akwa Ibom is home to exquisite hotels, fast food, bread and breakfast, guest houses, and restaurants to allure all classes of visitors and tourists.
	Socio-Cultural Groups At various levels the customary Akwa Ibom solidarity comes into play through gratifying socio-cultural groups by which members give back to the society and inculcate responsible social behaviours. All over the globe members of these groups play the role of public relations officers on behalf of the state.

Policies

	Destination Agenda With rapid changes taking place in all facets of the economy its only natural to share what we have with the rest of the world by prominently placing Akwa Ibom in global reckoning and driving tourist traffic into the state.
	New Economy of Tourism Deliberate strategy to ensure the state's people plug into the economic realities of interfacing with the rest of the world while establishing sustainability through deriving industry capacity to manage tourism networks and concerns.

Projects

	NAFEST 2010 In November, 2010 Akwa Ibom State successfully hosted the weeklong 24th edition of the National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFEST 2010) with the theme "Cultural Industries and Economic Empowerment" and participants drawn from the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory, relevant NGO's, schools, and institutions to the delight of Nigerians as a unifying platform through competitive and non-competitive cultural events. We provided a platform to display the very best from across Nigeria.
	Tourist Sites Beautification With the fantastic attraction that our tourist sites across the state commands we embarked on beautification of these sites to make them even more appealing to accommodate and hold the right class of tourists
	Golf Tourism Ibom Golf Course has been voted the best in Africa according to the authoritative Golf week. We have therefore ensured we keep our social infrastructures in top gear to appeal and hold continous influx of golf tourists into the state.

Culture &Tourism in Akwa Ibom State

Akwa Ibom is a rich tourism destination offering unrivalled wealth of scenic landscape, long sandy coast, a wealth of wildlife and culture. Plus a warm and friendly people, known for their exceptional culinary skills. Solidly wedged in Nigeria's south eastern flank, the state is deeply religious and this shows not only in its name which translates into The Great God of Heaven, but also in the rich relics of its traditional religion which have been preserved across the state. The local dances, songs, folkore, mythology, cult, and traditional festivals provide engaging opportunities for those who seek naked excitement and unspoilt pleasure.

Ibeno sand beach famous for yatching and swimming, Oron Museaum - collection of finest carvings in Africa, Opobo Boatyard. Natural sand beaches at Ikot Abasi. Akwa Ibom State is uni-cultural where the mores, taboos, customs and traditions are basically the same. Similarly, the state is blessed with that there is no language barrier among the three ethnic groups as Ibibio is spoken and understood among all linguistic groups. But officially, English is spoken.

Raw Materials

Food Crops
	Arable Crops
	Fruit Crops
	Vegetable Crops
	Tree Crops	Palm Trees, cocoa, rubber
Livestock
Poultry
Fisheries

Destination Project

Milestones

Akwa Ibom of recent has become many things to many people. The state has been repackaged to a showpiece of delectable delivery and attracts in large numbers.

How did we get here? Simply, the state opened its doors very wide, leaving most human demands open and accessible. Today's Akwa Ibom is with open skies, open seas, open minds, and open pleasure. What with the state-of-the-art infrastructures, cutting edge services, and a re-branded people.

Akwa Ibom has become a tourist paradise, an aviation hub, a maritime yard, an events cynosure, a big relaxation spot, and a knowledge factory. Ineed, Akwa Ibom is the new destination for local and international tourists, visitors and investors.

Tourism is one of the greatest revenue earners in the world today. Therefore, in order to boost tourism for increased revenue generation in this sector, the State Government has undertaken the following:

Successful hosting of Nigeria's National Arts festival, NAFEST 2010
Expansion work at Le Meridien Ibom 5 Star Hotel and Golf Resort
Construction of a multi-billion Naira Ibom Tropicana entertainment centre, complete with Cineplex, galleria, malls, dry and wet parks, hostels and convention centre etc
Sponsorship of the State Arts and Culture troupe to arts and cultural fiesta and festivals in foreign countries
Sponsorship of a children’s cultural troupe 'Ekemini Cultural Troupe' to represent Nigeria at a cultural festival in North Korea
Construction of a hall of fame within Ibom museum complex
Providing the enabling environment for private ownership of over 50 standard hotels in Uyo the State capital.

:: Recent Photos

A contingent from canada dance and file out at the Uyo Township Stadium at the opening ceremony of NAFEST 2010 held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State on 2nd Nov. 2010

A dance concept signifying unity in diversity at the Uyo Township Stadium at the opening ceremony of NAFEST 2010 held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State on 2nd Nov. 2010

Acrobatic display from a member of Kaduna State contingent as they danced and filed out at the Uyo Township Stadium at the opening ceremony of NAFEST 2010 held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State on 2nd Nov. 2010

Acrobatic display from a member of Katsina State contingent as they danced and filed out at the Uyo Township Stadium at the opening ceremony of NAFEST 2010 held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State on 2nd Nov. 2010

Adamawa State contingent file out at the Uyo Township Stadium at the opening ceremony of NAFEST 2010 held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State on 2nd Nov. 2010

Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Barr. Austin Mbeh, presenting members of the NAFEST 2010 local organizing committee at the Uyo Township Stadium during the opening ceremony held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State on 2nd Nov. 2010

Akwa Ibom State contingent dance and file out at the Uyo Township Stadium at the opening ceremony of NAFEST 2010 held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State on 2nd Nov. 2010