Hi, welcome to this blog on the meaning of tourism, factors favorable for tourism.
Table Of Contents
- Meaning of tourism
- Factors favorable for tourism
- Major tourist centers in Nigeria
- Advantages or Importance of tourism
- Disadvantages of tourism
- Problems of tourism
- Solutions for the problems of tourism.
- Revision Questions.
Meaning Of Tourism
Tourism is the practice of traveling for pleasure or the Business of offering information, accommodation, transportation and other services to tourists. In other words, tourism is the practice which involves the visiting of people to places of interest where they can relax, derive pleasure and entertainment.
The places where such people visit are called tourist or resort centers while the person who visit such places is called a tourist.
Tourism is an activity done by an individual or a group of individuals, which leads to the movement from one place to another or a country to another for performing a specific task or a visit to a place or several places for the purpose of entertaining which leads to an awareness of other civilizations and culture, also increasing the knowledge of countries, culture and history.
One of the most important subjects of tourism is Attractions. Attractions are the most important components in the tourism system. Attractions are the main motivators for tourist’s trips and the core of the tourism products, without attractions, there will be no need for other tourism services. Indeed, tourism as such would not exist if it were not for attractions.
Factors Favourable for Tourism
The following factors are favorable to the development of tourism in Nigeria. The absence of this factors can hinder or limit its development. These factors include the following:
- Favorable climate: For tourism to strive, the climate of the environment must be favorable so that tourists can relax and enjoy themselves.
- Find beaches: In Nigeria, there exist beautiful beaches along the coast. Such beautiful beaches include the Bar beach, Lekki and badagry beaches.
- Wild Life: In Nigeria, there also exist beautiful wildlife or game Reserve such as Yankari and Borgu game Reserves.
- Effective publicity: For Tourism to strive in Nigeria, there must be enough publicity to create awareness for the tourists on possible areas of attraction.
- Beautiful scenery: For tourism to grow, there must be natural and man-made scenery where people can relax and entertain themselves.
- Good transport network or communication: There must be good transportation system who will promote the movement of tourists without any obstructions. Vehicles and good roads are keys to good tourism.
- Relative political stability: For tourism to strive in Nigeria, there must be a stable political activities. No tourist will want to visit any country that is engaged in civil war.
- Hospitality of the people: The people around the tourist centers must be humble, kind, friendly and accommodative and this go a long way to allow the tourist to be at home in the resort places.
- Presence of historic sites: History sites are places of interest tourists always want to visit e.g, National museums in Lagos, Benin and Ife.
- Cultural heritage: What may serve as tourist centers are the cultural heritage of the people.
- Hotels of international standards: Hotels of international standard must also be available for the tourist to stay example; some important five star hotels like Sheraton hotel in Lagos and Abuja and Durban hotel in kaduna.
- Favorable government policy: The government must provide favorable policies that will boost tourism in the country. Such policies when they are good and favorable will enable tourist to visit the country.
- Availability of capital: Capital or fund must be available to build infrastructure like good roads, pipe-borne water and electricity. These amenities do boost tourism.
- Good Security: The security of The tourist must be guaranteed. Tourist will not visit places where there are kidnapping terrorism and robbery.
Major Tourist Centers In Nigeria
- Azumini blue River Rose.
- The long Juju shrine of Aruchukwu
- Yola municipality.
- Ibeno beach.
- Ogbunike cave in Anambra
- Rojenny tourist village in Anambra
- Igbo Iku.
- Yankari National park.
- Wikki Warm Springs in Bauchi.
- Hills of Benue.
- Lake Chad.
- Obudu Cattle Ranch in Cross River State.
- Agbokim Waterfalls in Cross River State.
- Silicon Hill in Enugu State.
- Mbari cultural Centers
- Oguta Lake Holiday Complex in Imo State.
- Birnin Kudu Painting in Jigawa State.
- Nok Village in Kaduna.
Justification For Tourism
There are three men justification for tourism in Nigeria. (1) Leisure (2) Recreation (3) Education.
Importance Of Tourism
- For Foreign exchange earnings.
- Generation of employment.
- Improvement of transport facilities.
- Increase in commercial activities.
- Provision of infrastructure.
- Improved social services.
- Improvement in the standard of living.
- It fosters economic integration.
- Development of local craft Industries.
- Income to individuals.
- Conservation of wildlife.
- Development of towns.
Disadvantages Of Tourism
- Too much dependence of a country on tourist Industries is very risky.
- Tourism can lead to break down traditional value and way of life of the local people.
- Tourism can lead to the spread of diseases.
Problems Of Tourism
Some of the major problems facing tourism is as follows.
- Inadequate funding.
- Lack of access roads.
- Poor publicity and advertising
- Lack of Inadequate trained personnel.
- Lack of private investment.
- Lack of Inadequate infrastructure.
- Problems of insecurity
- Absence of tourism boards.
Solutions to the problems of tourism in any country
- Increase in budgetary provision.
- Launching of tourism Development trust fund.
- Provision of enabling environment.
- Pursuance of aggressive marketing and promotion.
- Engagement of private sectors.
- Establishment of more tourism boards.
Revision Questions
- Write short note on the following (a) tourist (b) Tourist Centres.
- Write short note on the meaning of tourism.
- List and discuss eight factors favorable for tourism in Nigeria.
- Write short note on the justification for tourism in Nigeria.
- Name five important tourist centers in Nigeria and name The state where they are located.
- (a) List eight importance of tourism (b) list five solutions to the problems of tourism.