STRUCTURAL-STRESSES AND ACTION-STEPS IN TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTHWESTERN NIGERIA

Abstract

The tourism sector in Southwestern Nigeria has sufficient potentials to boost the Nigerian economy; however, its impact on the economy is relatively insignificant. Previous studies on the Nigerian tourism sector focused mostly on its benefits and potentials, while the structural stresses, comprising the underlining structural factors inhibiting the performance of the industry at the optimal level, have not received adequate attention. This study, therefore, examined the tourism sector in Southwestern Nigeria with a view to identifying the structural stresses that have stymied its growth, as well as the action steps that can be taken in order to resolve the stresses.

The study adopted the sustainable development theory as articulated in the United Nations Millennium Declaration of 1987 while the cross-sectional survey method was employed. Two prominent tourist sites were purposively selected from each of the six states of the Southwest of Nigeria. The purposive and stratified random sampling techniques were used to select officials of the ministries of culture and tourism (90), tourist site operators and administrators (180), and tourists (450) across the states and sites. A questionnaire was used for data collection. Data were analysed with descriptive statistics.

Fifty-seven percent of the respondents agreed that structural stresses were the common banes of tourism development in the Southwest. Seven of such stresses: lack of concise policy on tourism development and management (81.2%), slow pace of economic development (79.7%), compromise on the parts of security agents (75.3%), the non-global standard of operations at the airports and seaports (72.9%), inadequate hotels and accommodation facilities (68.9%), encroachment on plants and animal habitats (58.6%) and high waste generation by tourism-related activities (56.5%) were identified. An insignificant majority (51.7%) agreed with the identified action steps which include adequate legislation, corresponding development in other sectors of the economy and a responsive security network. Most of the respondents (93.3%) saw the need to embrace global best practices in the operations of both the airports and seaports to encourage and attract potential tourists. Similarly, 90.9% agreed that accommodation providers should operate at global standards. Ninety one percent agreed that plant and animal habitats should be protected in tourism, while 90.1% were of the opinion that waste generated by tourism-related activities should be well managed. A total of 86.9% agreed that tourism has great potentials and is of immense benefit to the socio-economic development. These corroborate the blueprint of the United Nations World Travel Organization, which recommended that efforts must be strengthened at building a more responsive tourism industry in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.

The optimal performance of the tourism sector in Southwestern Nigeria was inhibited mainly by non-global standards of operations and poor security networks. These stresses should be carefully addressed by strategic and well-executed action steps, such as strict adherence to global best practices, adequate legislation and secure environment for tourists.

Keywords: Sustainable development, Structural stresses, Tourism development in Southwestern Nigeria

Word count: 476