By Okorie Uguru
Many tourists often believe that there are no better tourist destinations outside Lagos, Abuja and Calabar. That is, cities with tourist sites, international standard accommodation facilities including branded or non-branded hotels, reliable transportation systems – land, air and probably sea, that could take tourists to and fro their destinations.
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Such tourists also crave leisure, business, and conferencing facilities that offer the comfort they desire in order to have wonderful experiences. They desire to visit these places for leisure, business, meetings, retreats, or even for religious purposes. These are the things that confer on a place, the status of a tourist destination.
Over the years, with little or no fanfare, successive governments in Akwa Ibom State have gradually transformed Uyo, the state capital, into a leading tourist destination.
It started with the government of Obong Victor Attah, who ruled the state from 1999 to 2007 and delivered within the period, two key facilities in Uyo towards becoming a destination of choice. These are the Ibom Golf Resort, formerly a branded Le Meridien property, and an international airport.
Subsequent governments added to these key tourism facilities like good road network, a sports stadium of international standard, the International Worship Centre, and most importantly, an effective domestic airlines that has helped in making Uyo a destination for MICE (Meeting, Incentives, Conferencing and Exhibition) as well as sports tourism.
For any visitor exploring Uyo’s tourism offerings, it is easy to see the business opportunities for packaged tours. Operators could package different kinds of tours that would offer local and inbound tourists the opportunity to explore and enjoy the offerings both within and outside the state capital.
Uyo boasts of a good road network, making it easy to visit major attractions in the city. One of them is the Godswill Akpabio Stadium. Beautiful and well kept, it is an architectural masterpiece that creates an ambience of a sporting fiesta any time a competition is held there. Akwa Ibom has a reputation of maintaining clean environments. This has made the stadium wear an almost spotless look.
Those who live around the stadium seem to be used to tourists. By the time a group of tourists are done with a tour of the stadium and come out, a cart load of fresh coconuts would already be outside waiting. It is good business for the sellers. Drinking the coconut water is refreshing after the physical exertion of walking round the stadium, coupled with the high temperature.
Another must-see sight in Uyo is the International Christian Worship Centre. It is an imposing beautiful edifice both from outside and within. However, the inner walls of the worship centre are unnaturally blank, no faith-based art works or murals to create the ambience and elevate visitors’ faith or to put them in a prayer mood as it is in some other religious edifices in and outside the country.
Any claim of visiting Uyo without regaling in the local delicacies that are the specialties of the state as a whole is false. One could get good food in any average restaurant in Uyo, the dining at Ibom Golf Resort especially the lunch experience is refreshing. The resort has a mobile kitchen at the restaurant with all the necessary ingredients and vegetables for local dishes prepared and ready. Once a visitor places an order, the food is prepared fresh and spicy, and the dishes come delicious.
The fisherman’s soup is a delicacy in Uyo that makes one keep asking for more. With the fine dining in Uyo, it would not be surprising for tourists to leave Uyo with extra kilos in weight.
Another advantage of Uyo as a tourist destination is that most of the key tourist sites outside the city are not far away from each other. They are just a few hours apart. Places like Ibeno Beach, Ikot Abasi Slave and Colonial Relics sites are places one could easily visit and come back within hours.
Just like his predecessors, the current governor of the state, Pastor Umo Enoh, is adding his own imprimatur to the touring offerings in the state with the Arise Park and a mega-conference edifice.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Tourism, Mr. Nkereuwem Onung spoke about some of the projects currently being carried out by the state government to promote tourism. He said improving tourism infrastructure is a key agenda of the current administration.
“Infrastructure in aviation is playing a significant role in promoting tourism in Akwa Ibom. The state’s government, led by Governor Umo Eno, is investing in upgrading the Victor Attah International Airport to boost tourism and economic growth.
“Governor Umo Eno approved ₦1.194 billion for critical infrastructure upgrades at the Victor Attah International Airport to enable night flight operations. This includes replacing navigational aids, upgrading airfield lighting, and settling electricity bills. These upgrades will allow the airport to operate safely beyond daylight hours, potentially boosting commercial activity and tourism in the region.
“The state now has a smart, ultra-modern international airport terminal with features like smart technology integration, efficient operations, sustainable practices, luxurious amenities, and a cultural showcase of Akwa Ibom’s heritage.
“Governor Eno’s vision is to develop world-class aviation infrastructure, positioning Akwa Ibom as a hub for tourism and investment. Akwa Ibom’s natural attractions, like the longest natural sand beach in the country at Ibeno and scenic hills in Itu and Ibeno Local Government Areas, combined with improved aviation infrastructure, are likely to boost tourism in the state.”
The Arise Park in Uyo is a major project of the Eno administration. The park sits on a large expanse of reclaimed land initially lost to erosion. The Arise Park would be a one-stop leisure centre having accommodation, fine dining, theme park and many more.
With the tourism facilities already in place and others on the pipeline, Uyo and the state as a whole might just become the number one tourist destination in the country.
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