Strategic Planning and Management of Tourism Infrastructure in Cross River State

Cross River State has pursued an ambitious tourism development strategy, investing significantly in cultural tourism infrastructure, eco-tourism facilities, and the Calabar Carnival as a nationally recognized event. This study examines the strategic planning and management of tourism infrastructure development in Cross River State from a professional urban and regional planning perspective. A professional management research design was used, reviewing Cross River State Tourism Master Plans, capital expenditure records on tourism infrastructure, and project completion assessments from 2018 to 2023. Thirteen tourism planning managers, infrastructure development officers, and hospitality sector representatives participated in interviews. The study evaluates the spatial planning rationale for tourism infrastructure investments, the quality of feasibility analysis underpinning project decisions, and the post-investment management arrangements for tourism assets. Findings are expected to reveal gaps between strategic tourism investment objectives and actual visitor economy outcomes, maintenance challenges for major state-funded tourism infrastructure, and limited integration of tourism facilities into the spatial planning framework for Calabar and other tourist destination communities. Recommendations address development of a tourism infrastructure management framework with defined life-cycle cost planning, integration of tourism facility siting into Cross River State's spatial development plans, investment in local government capacity to maintain tourism assets, and development of a visitor economy monitoring system to track return on public tourism infrastructure investments. Keywords: Tourism infrastructure, Strategic planning, Cross River State, Calabar, Urban management.