International Youth Day: Rivers needs stronger tourism visibility, place youths centre of tourism, culture, creative economy – Foundation
The Kalabari Renaissance Foundation has called on the Rivers State Government to intensify efforts to position the state prominently on Nigeria’s tourism calendar, while deliberately placing young people at the heart of its tourism, cultural and creative development agenda.
The call was made by the Chairman of the Foundation and organisers of the Kalabari New Year Festival, Mr. Harry Awolayeofori Macmorrison, while speaking with newsmen in Port Harcourt.
Macmorrison said International Youth Day celebration on August 12 provides an important opportunity for Rivers State to recognise the enormous potential of its young people and empower them to become active participants in the preservation, promotion and commercialisation of the state’s rich cultural and tourism assets.
According to him, “Rivers State is enormously and diversely blessed. We have everything it takes to become one of Nigeria’s leading tourism destinations, but we must deliberately bring our young people into the centre of this development.”
He noted that tourism could provide meaningful opportunities for young people in areas such as creative arts, cultural performance, filmmaking, photography, digital media, hospitality, fashion, traditional crafts, event management, tour operations and entrepreneurship.
The Foundation Chairman stressed that Rivers State could no longer afford to sit back while its enormous tourism potential and the creativity, culture and resources of its young population remained largely untapped.
He called on the government to explore every available avenue to project Rivers State nationally and internationally, noting that a vibrant tourism sector could become a major driver of youth employment, entrepreneurship, cultural preservation, community development and economic diversification.
Macmorrison observed that the state possesses some of the most remarkable tourism assets in the country, but expressed concern that promising initiatives such as RIVIFEST could not be sustained.
He urged the government to develop a sustainable tourism calendar that would give young people opportunities to participate, innovate and build careers around the state’s cultural and natural heritage.
He said the Kalabari Renaissance Foundation was established, among other objectives, to promote the cultural identity of the Kalabari people, foster unity and use the area’s rich cultural and natural endowments as a platform for tourism development.
He expressed appreciation to the Rivers State Government for its support toward the Kalabari New Year Festival, while appealing for increased institutional backing to enable the festival to achieve its full tourism, cultural and youth-development potential.
Macmorrison also acknowledged the contributions of progressive-minded individuals in Kalabari, particularly HRH Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, whom he commended for his generous financial support toward the success of the festival.
Looking ahead, he disclosed that the next edition of the Kalabari New Year Festival, scheduled to hold in Minama Community, Asari-Toru Local Government Area, promises to be bigger, richer and more engaging.
He said the forthcoming festival will introduce additional cultural activities, including competitions centred on traditional practices, with the aim of preserving the moral, spiritual and cultural heritage of the Kalabari people and transmitting it meaningfully to younger generations.
He emphasised that the festival is not merely a celebration, but a cultural investment, a tourism platform, a youth opportunity and a vehicle for community unity and economic development.
The Foundation Chairman therefore urged Rivers youths to see the state’s cultural heritage not only as something to be preserved, but also as an opportunity to create businesses, careers and innovative platforms capable of attracting visitors from Nigeria and beyond.
“On this International Youth Day, we must remind ourselves that the future of Rivers tourism is inseparable from the future of our young people. Rivers State must give them the platform, skills and opportunities to tell our story in their own creative ways,” he said.
He added: “Rivers State must tell its own story, showcase its treasures and invite the world to experience them. Our culture is an asset, our people are an asset, and our young people are our greatest creative resource. Tourism is an economic opportunity waiting to be fully unlocked.”
