ADVERTISING INFLUENCE IN PROMOTING BRAND HERITAGE FOR TOURISM: A STUDY OF 2016 CALABAR CARNIVAL, NIGERIA

In Nigeria, tourism is one of the untapped resources that can generate significant revenue for the nation. However, a state such as Cross River has organized tourist activities to promote the cultural traditions and heritage of the Nigerian people. Advertising has become a very multifaceted institution. It is a means of disseminating information about a product, service or idea, its attributes or qualities and locations of sales. The study therefore attempted to investigate how advertising has contributed to the choice of Calabar for tourist relaxations as well as assess the extent to which the Calabar carnival has promoted the culture of tourism in Nigeria. The study was anchored on the hierarchy of effects model. The study made use of the survey design and the instruments for data collection were questionnaire and interview. The population for the study was tourists present at the 2016 Calabar carnival which had a sample size of 350 but only 347 copies of the questionnaire were useful for analysis. The findings of the study showed that advertising has indeed contributed to the choice of Calabar for tourist relaxation. The study went further in discovering that 98% of the respondents felt the Calabar carnival had a positive effect on tourism in Nigeria. The finding also revealed that the medium respondents viewed such adverts through was mostly through the television. The researchers therefore recommend that for Nigeria to be a pacesetter in Cultural heritage in Africa, more limelight should be given to tourism because of its potential especially to a developing nation like Nigeria with abundant tourism attractions. Hence, the study concluded on the note that advertising the Calabar carnival is impactful as it provides enlightenment, generates interest and promotes relaxation experiences.