Music and Tourism: Developing a Cultural Music Tourism Framework for Cross River State

This study develops a cultural music tourism framework for Cross River State, South South Nigeria, leveraging the state's rich musical heritage and its established reputation as Nigeria's tourism capital. Cross River State hosts several nationally recognised cultural events including the Calabar Carnival, which incorporates diverse musical performances representing Efik, Ejagham, Boki, and other indigenous traditions. However, music's potential as a standalone tourism driver, distinct from broader festival programming, has not been systematically developed or packaged for domestic and international tourists. This research identifies the musical heritage assets of Cross River State, assesses current tourism infrastructure relevant to music experiences, and benchmarks best practices from music tourism destinations in Ghana, South Africa, and the Caribbean. Data are collected through semi-structured interviews with tourism officials, cultural event organisers, community musicians, and hospitality sector representatives. Stakeholder mapping and tourism product analysis supplement interview data. The study draws on heritage tourism theory, cultural economics, and recent music tourism development literature. Findings will produce a structured cultural music tourism framework specifying product development, marketing, infrastructure, and policy recommendations tailored to Cross River State's unique assets and capacity. Keywords: Music tourism, cultural heritage, Cross River State, tourism framework, Calabar.