Religious tourism commonly referred to as Faith Tourism, is a form of tourism where people travel individually or in groups for pilgrimage, missionary or leisure (fellowship) purposes. Religious tourism comprises of many facets of travel industry including pilgrimage, missionary travel, leisure (fellowship) vacations, faith based cruising, crusades, conventions and rallies, retreats, monastery visits and guest-stay, faith based camps, religious tourist attractions.

In Nigeria, religious tourism includes; conventions, retreats, conferences, catholic and Anglican synods, crusades as well as monastery visits. Taking spiritual journey is for some , filling the dual role of religion and relaxation. Modes of tourist experiences are recreational, diversionary, experimental, experiential and existential.

Religious tourism provides spiritual enlightenment and understanding of how culture, history and the heritage of one’s faith interact in today’s life. It provides a wonderful way to vacation; thus religious tourism touches all aspect of human person-spirituality, physically, intellectually, socially and emotionally. It is also one of the best ways to develop to close bond among members. Religious tourism helps to promote peace and unity among host communities, state and nation as it brings about improvement in the quality of life for both urban and rural dwellers, through the provision of leisure facilities and healthy relationship with others.



It is worthy to note here those religious tourists are often involved in sustainable efforts at conservation or in cultural education. Pilgrimage tends to enrich the meaning of life and often brings to sharper focus the mission of man on this temporary abode.

Missionary activities cannot be recorded in Africa without Samuel bills name as a man who came into the shores of Africa through the present day Akwa ibom state and started Qua Iboe church, a church named after the community Akwa obio. The oldest English bible brought in by the Patriarch is still in the church in ibeno serving as a religious attraction. The oldest Roman Catholic in South South Nigeria, a 110 years old St. Andrews Roman Catholic church is in Eman Uruan, Akwa Ibom State. This is where the likes of Rev Father Udensi had passed through with rare vegetation to that found in Zulu land in South Africa.

A couple of years ago, precisely in 2008, the state Government started an annual programmed tagged “9999’’ The Largest Group Of Carol Singers, since its inception in 2008, “the Akwa Ibom State Christmas Carol Night which has become a major tourist attraction to our state, has also served as avenue for the promotion of spiritual growth, peaceful co-existence among ethnic, religious and cultural groups in an evening of praise, worship, love and unity.”

Apart from boosting the tourism potentials of Akwa Ibom, the Carol Night, which has maintained its unique theme and tradition, has evolved with new ideas and concepts on yearly basis. The tourism potential of the carol has been enhanced by a rapidly growing international reputation and acceptance of the state.”

With a blend of unique vocal and digital rendition of medley and lyrics as well as a repertoire of colorful visual decoration, dance, costumes and lighting, also the ambience in and around the event venue often engender bliss and spiritual awakening. This is to also commemorate with the activities of the patriarchs and this event has remained a standing record breaker in the Guinness book of record.

This year Akwa ibom is hosting another edition of the biggest carol night as it routinely gets bigger than the previous by at least 15 percent and statistics of the event in 2015 revealed a large pool of over 30,000 attendants, a TV viewership in excess of 30 million and over 7 million social media interactions. This year's edition, same as previous years, is open to corporate partnership and has a wide range of benefits for partners.proposed 20,0000 coral singers.

This years carol is set to be the best of all with ,

366 Akwa Ibom Choirs,
10,000 Choristers,
2 foreign choirs,
272 days of preparation,
3478 volunteers,
6528 hours of rehearsal,