SOCIAL FACTORS AFFECTING DEVELOPED TOURISM PROJECT IN NIGERIA

INTRODUCTION

Nigeria, known as the Giant of Africa, is filled with the history of many ethnic groups, beautiful beaches and wonderful natural landscapes. For years, the oil industry has overshadowed any thought of showing off the beauty of Nigeria. However, recently Nigeria has been attempting to slowly turn this sector around and make Nigeria a more accessible and safe place for tourists (Arasi, 2011). In terms of tourism as an economic product, people have a critical central role to play. The richness of a people’s cultural heritage, warmth and hospitality must be central to tourism development in Nigeria. When a people are given to reclusive and introversive ways of life, their level of hospitality is likely to be low. Social vices, restrictive cultural practices could considerably reduce a country’s ranking as a tourist destination. High theft rate, murder and similar vices are capable of planting scares into the minds of prospective tourists, both local and foreign.
On these indices, Nigeria today does not have a high rating. The over 15 years of military dictatorship has left indelible marks on the psyche of Nigerians (Njoku, 2003). The multiple problems, bottled over the years are now being unleashed on the body polity. The lingering crisis in the oil-rich states of the south of Nigeria, the ethnic conflicts (Tiv-Jukuns, Umuleri-Aguleri, Ife-Modakeke, etc); the restive problem of communities in the Niger Delta; poverty and lack of opportunity for many young people, especially in urban areas, have led to major crime; the recent spate of assassination in the wake of general elections are sour points to mention (Njoku, 2003).

1.2 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Tourism has become a phenomenon in both developed and developing economies across the globe, owing partly to bizarre of income generation, employment creation and poverty elimination potentials; and exploring development variables associated with the intangible products (Arasi, 2011.).Tourism as a displacement activity, involves being away from home on a temporary short-term visit to and stay at places of interest outside one’s domicile and work. United Nation World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) however put a time limit of within a year of stay outside the environment other than your home either for business, leisure or other purposes to the definition of tourism. But strictly speaking, tourism encompasses the industry that package, facilitate, promote and delivered such travel and care for those on the move as well as the impact the visitors and host communities have on each other before, during and after the experience.

Tourism has no doubt wage enormous economic impact on all sphere of the society to become one of the fattest growing industries globally (Arasi, 2011.). The strength of tourism performance is obvious in poverty reduction, employment generation and income redistribution effect on rural communities (Narayan, P.K., 2004). With the revolution in tourism industry, both the government and private entrepreneurs have started to optimize the opportunities of attracting tourists to their countries. In other to explore these numerous potentials that are inherent in tourism industry, many countries have started to design their regions, cities and states in a manner that will attract tourist and tourist investors Njoku, P.C., 2003. The development of tourism as an alternative revenue sources is the new strategy in most countries because of its multiplier effect on other sectors of the economy, creating large volume of job for both skilled and unskilled labor Njoku, P.C., 2003.
Basically, the impacts of tourism are felt in a nation socially, environmentally and economically. At the society’s level, the benefits cut across peasants, artisans and even professionals irrespective of gender, race or age bracket.

Environmentally, tourism has the potentials to conserve the natural environment, preserve antiquities, historical monuments and traditional behaviors such as culture, food, language, heritage, arts and crafts. And, economically, tourism creates wealth capable of stimulating both domestic and foreign earnings of any nation from direct activities or associated businesses (NTDMP, 2006).

1.2 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This paper attempts to investigate the effect of different social factors affecting developed tourism project in Nigeria. These factors are examined in relation to travel decision making and destination selections. A better understanding of these determinants of tourism demand could help policymakers design the appropriate strategies needed to develop the tourism sector further, and correct these social issues, given the basic objective of making Nigeria the ultimate tourism destination in Africa.

1.3 STATEMENT OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM
The extent, to which tourism contributes to the socio-economic development to economies like that of Nigeria, comes with inconsistency of reports and findings as some authors are rather extreme, limited, or myopic in their research, limitations and findings. However, one thing is clear, i.e. that the vast tourism potentials of countries like Nigeria and North Cyprus is not maximally tapped. In another part, the bane of Nigerians access to tourism facilities has been blamed on their country’s poor economic and social factors, as over 60% of them are poor and live below $1.00 per day; a situation that is unfit if tourism development must thrive. This is because; the patronage of recreational facilities would require that the income of the individual (consumer) should be above subsistent level. Nigerians are said to the most widely traveled nation on planet earth. And so, it is not surprising to note that the rate at which of the Nigerian tourism industry is patronized is worrisome. Nigeria’s size and tourism potentials correlate with tourism ratio in a downward trend when compared with other countries of the world; thus, affecting her GDP negatively. It is also known fact that the Ministry of Health and Environment was established and empowered with limited authority over the control of environmental pollution and inspection of littering only, without Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) functions. The Ministry is faced with shortage of personnel like architects and engineers as well (Yasarata et al 2010:350-351). The preceding facts, however negates the country’s potentials of becoming a topmost tourist demand destination in the first instance.