Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Assessing the impact of economic and cultural diversity on tourism development in Nigeria

  • Published:
GeoJournal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The paper examined the impact of culture on tourism and economic development in the Northern and Southern part of Nigeria. Primary and secondary sources of data were adopted to elicit information for the study. The primary sources involved the use of questionnaire survey, interview sessions and telephone survey while the secondary sources involved the use of documented information on the internet, registry/records of the major hotels and tourist attractions within the study locations. The study revealed that 70% of the entire visitors in 2018 visited tourist attractions within the southern part of the country showing that there were more tourism activities in the Southern part than in the northern part of the country. The study also revealed that tourism attracted benefits such as employment, infrastructural development, provision of basic amenities, increased family income and increased government revenue through tax. Irrespective of the benefits, some challenges such as insecurity, lack of government and private sector interest, indifference in religious and traditional values and poor road network were observed to hinder the growth of the tourism industry. The study also revealed that 72% of visitors to the study locations attended cultural events while the remaining 28% visited natural sites. In view of these findings, the study revealed that the tourism industry in the northern part of the country suffered from some peculiar challenges such as extreme religious and traditional value system which forbids the involvement of women in tourism industry activities and interaction with strangers. With these finding, the study clearly emphasized that economic and cultural diversity had negative impact on the growth of the tourism industry in the northern part of Nigeria.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Source: Cartography unit, Department of Geography, University of Calabar

Fig. 2

Source: Author’s survey, 2018

Fig. 3

Source: Author’s survey, 2018

Fig. 4

Source: Author’s survey, 2018

Fig. 5

Source: Author’s field survey, 2018

Fig. 6

Source: Author’s survey, 2018

Fig. 7

Source: Author’s survey, 2018

Fig. 8

Source: Author’s survey, 2018

Fig. 9

Source: Author’s survey, 2018

Fig. 10

Source: Author’s survey, 2018

Fig. 11

Source: Author’s survey, 2018

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ajake, A. O., & Amalu, T. E. (2012a). Participation of Becheeve people in tourism development in Obudu Mountain resort, Cross River state, Nigeria. British Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 3(2), 25–39.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ajake, A. O., & Amalu, T. E. (2012b). The relevance of tourism on the economic development of Cross River state, Nigeria. Journal of Geography and Regional Planning, 5(1), 11–25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ajake, A. O., Enang, I. A., Amalu, T. E., & Ojugbo, P. (2016). Assessment of cultural and museum landscapes for tourism development: The Calabar museum scenario, Cross River State, Nigeria. Journal of Tourism and Management Research, 1(1), 119–134.

    Google Scholar 

  • Amalu, T. E., & Ajake, A. O. (2012). An assessment of the employment structure in the tourism industry of Obudu Mountain resort, Cross River state, Nigeria. Geo-Journal of Tourism and Geosites, 9(1), 35–56.

    Google Scholar 

  • Amalu, T. E., & Ajake, A. O. (2014). Influence of Calabar carnival on the economy of residents of Calabar metropolis, Cross River state, Nigeria. Global Journal, 1(1), 67–81.

    Google Scholar 

  • Amalu, T. E., & Ajake, A. O. (2015). The impact of hotel industry development in Enugu City, Nigeria. Journal of Tourism and Heritage Studies, 4(1&2), 106–120.

    Google Scholar 

  • Amalu, T. E., Ajake, A. O., Oba, D., & Okpara, D. (2012). Assessment of the influence of education on tourism development in Enugu state, Nigeria. American Journal of Tourism Research, 1(1), 33–42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Amalu, T. E., Ajake, A. O., & Obi, P. O. (2016). Impact of royalties from forest resources on community development in Boki Local Government in Cross River state, Nigeria. GeoJournal, 81(3), 475–487.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Amalu, T. E., Duluora, E. I., Otop, O. O., Omeje, V. U., & Emeana, S. K. (2017a). Assessment of tourists’ patronage of Obudu mountain resort, Cross River state, Nigeria. Journal of Hospitality and Management Tourism, 8(4), 32–41.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Amalu, T. E., Otop, O. O., & Ojugbo, P. A. (2018a). Assessment of impact of recreational resorts on socio-economic growth of Calabar, Cross River State. Sustainable Geo-science and Geo-tourism, 1(1), 11–24. https://doi.org/10.18052/www.scipress.com/SGG.1.11.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Amalu, T. E., Otop, O. O., Duluora, E. I., Omeje, V. U., & Emeana, S. K. (2017b). Socio-economic impacts of ecotourism attractions in Enugu State, Nigeria. Geojournal: Spatially Integrated Social Sciences and Humanities, 83(6), 1257–1269. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-017-9830-7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Amalu, T. E., Otop, O. O., Oko, U., & Oko-Isu, P. E. (2018b). Spatial distribution and patronage of Ecotourism attractions in Enugu State, Nigeria. Sustainable Geoscience and Geotourism, 2(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.18052/www.scipress.com/SGG.2.1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Amalu, T. E., Ugwu, O., Idam, N. S., & Oko-Isu, P. E. (2019). Impacts of seasonality and patronage of lakes on the economy of host communities (a case of Nike Lake, Enugu Nigeria). Journal of Travel, Tourism and Recreation, 1(1), 7–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowen, D. (2001). Antecedents of consumer satisfaction and dis-satisfaction (CS/D) on long-haul inclusive tours: A reality check on theoretical considerations. Tourism Management, 22(1), 49–61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bukola, A. A., & Olaitan, L. L. (2018). Tourism development and sustainable economic development: Evidence from South Western Nigeria. South Asian Journal of Social Studies and Economics, 2(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.9734/sajsse/2018/43312.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Edim, M. E., Osaji, N. N., & Odok, E. A. (2014). Socio-economic impacts of tourism on the development of Calabar Metropolis of Cross River State. Human Resource Management Research, 4(1), 1–4. https://doi.org/10.5923/j.hrmr.20140401.01.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Enang, I. A., Ajake, A. O., & Amalu, T. E. (2016). Volumetric analysis of tourist arrivals in ecotourism sites of Cross River State, Nigeria. Journal of Tourism and Management Research, 1(1), 135–154.

    Google Scholar 

  • Esu, B. B., & Arrey, V. M. (2009). Tourists’ satisfaction with cultural tourism experiences, Geneva: URISD. Festival: A case study of Calabar Carnival Festival, Nigeria. International Fundamental Truths about Tourism: Understanding Tourism Economy.

  • Huh, J. (2002). Tourist satisfaction with cultural/heritage site: The Virginia Triangle. http://www.scholar.lib.vt.edu/thesis/available/etd-0154002-1710/unrestrited/thesis.pdf. Accessed 12 Dec 2018.

  • Iwara, E. E., & Amalu, T. E. (2017). Assessing the seasonal patterns of visitors arrivals as an index for hotel industry growth in Calabar, Nigeria. Journal of Tourism and Management Research, 2(3), 135–146.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kozark, M., & Rimmington, M. (2000). Tourist satisfaction with Mallorca, Spain, as an off-season holiday destination. Journal of Travel Research, 38(3), 260–269.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ogah, A.V., Adah, G., & Osho, V. M. (2018). Marketing communications and tourism: Paradigm for sustainable development in Ekiti State, Nigeria. Journal of Good Governance and Sustainable Development in Africa, 4(1). ISSN: 2346-724X(P) ISSN: 2354-158X(E).

  • Okech, R. N. (2006). Challenges facing indigenous people: Focus on ecotourism. Report presented at the world social forum, Maseno.

  • Ratz, T. (2003). The socio-cultural impact of tourism, case of Lake Balaton, Hungary. http://www.ratzamara.com/balimp.html. Accessed 12 Dec 2018.

  • Simpson, M. C. (2007). Community benefit tourism initiative—A conceptual Oxymoron. Oxford: Oxford publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Takon, T., & Amalu, T. E. (2013). Assessment of natural resource conservation in Boki Local Government area, Cross River state, Nigeria. Environmental Science: An Indian Journal, 8(4), 123–131.

    Google Scholar 

  • Takon, T., Amalu, T. E., & Okpara, D. (2013). Assessment of local people’s attitude towards natural resource conservation in Boki Local government area, Cross River state, Nigeria. Research Journal in Organizational Psychology and Education Studies, 2(2), 60–66.

    Google Scholar 

  • World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). (2016). The Economic impact of travel and tourism. London: World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria

    Titus Amalu & Anim Ajake

  2. Department of Geography, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria

    Philip Phil-Eze

Authors
  1. Titus Amalu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Philip Phil-Eze
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Anim Ajake
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Titus Amalu.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Amalu, T., Phil-Eze, P. & Ajake, A. Assessing the impact of economic and cultural diversity on tourism development in Nigeria. GeoJournal 85, 1457–1468 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-019-10032-2

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-019-10032-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation