Lagos — More than 78 percent of people who attended the 2007 edition of Calabar Festival will like to return to the 'Peoples' Paradise' for the 2008 edition of the festival to relive the experience, an independent research group has said.

Sustainable Tourism Initiative Organization which carried out the research and demographic study of participants at the 2007 carnival said their result shows that participants relished their experience and expected the Carnival Commission to build on their experiences. They look forward to attending the next Carnival with more friends and relations. Presenting its detailed observation of the 2007 carnival to members of the Cross River State Carnival Commission in Calabar, the coordinator of the research group, Dr. Bassey Duke said they decided to carry out an independent assessment of the carnival in line with the Public Private Sector Partnership to assist in the promotion of the state's tourism drive.

Duke said their findings also show that there is a large market for the Calabar Carnival and that it has acted as a positive image builder for the state. Other indices indicated in the report include the fact that over 40 percent of attendees got their information about the carnival by word of mouth.

Commenting on the report, the Managing Director of Cross River State Tourism Bureau and ex-officio member of the State Carnival Commission, Mr. Nzan Ogbe said the initiative of the private tourism outfit meant there was a renewed interest of the private sector to key into the state's tourism programme.

Ogbe, who was the chairman of the Central Planning Committee of the 2007 Xmas Festival was interested in the study to get an authentic and independent assessment of last year's festival to enable the organizers perform better. Chairman of the State Carnival Commission, Mr. Gabe Onah also expressed happiness at the report.