ABSTRACT
Tourism as an agent of development, leads to a
lot of benefit‟s, Nigeria as a country richly endowed with a wide range of
cultural and natural resource‟s relative to other nation‟s in Africa and on a
global level, most of which are largely untapped. There are many approaches to
assess these resource potentials of which studies have been done in some parts
of the world. but despite the availability of these potentials in Kaduna state,
the level of tourist influx still remains low, which forms the basis of this
study, to assess the tourism potentials, there challenges and prospects in
Kaduna state. Opinion‟s of experienced tourist, experts in different fields of
study, were sampled with questionnaires at different potential spot‟s to cover
the three geographical zones of the state. Data were collected and analyzed
using weighted sum model (WSM), through ranking and scaling techniques. The
outcomes suggest major shortcomings are traced to inadequate infrastructures,
funding, advertisement, and insecurity in these potentials among others. The
study determine the potential values of different potentials site‟s, and
proposes clustering of the tourist spots to enhanced their potentials values
and made recommendations to improve the industry in other to boost tourism
industry in the state.
CHAPTER ONE
1.0
INTRODUCTION
The profitability
of international tourism industry has garnered widespread recognition of
tourism as a promising development agent for developing countries. Throughout
the past fifty years, tourism has rapidly spread and has emerged as a major
export sector in many countries (UNWTO, 2007). The decision to adopt tourism as
an agent of development has been largely based on the expectation that tourism
can:(a) increased foreign exchange earnings,(b) create employment,(c) attract
foreign investment, and(d) positively contribute to local economic and the
national balance of payments (Sharply and Telfair, 2002). In other cases it has
been said that tourism is turned to as a last option by countries that lack
extractable resources, are burdened by foreign debt, and rely on international
aid (Brown, 1998).
Kaduna state
richly endowed with a wide range of natural and cultural resources relative to
other state in Nigeria and on a global level most of which are largely
untapped. These resource‟s fall into protected ecosystems (game reserves and
recreational parks), protected landscapes or natural sceneries, cultural sites,
coastline, traditional festival and historic relics and monuments (Okechuku,
1990 and Okoli 2001).Kaduna state tourism resources are highly distributed from
the south-northern part of Kaduna, which has a geo-cultural pattern, (Okoli
2001).
The availability
of these potentials has made the development of tourism industry to undergo a
gradual evolution, which each phase reflecting its growing importance in the
economy. Despite all these economic, political, cultural and social benefits,
tourism development has not been strong politically in Nigeria, especially in
Kaduna state. What is really wrong with Nigerian tourism? This is why Ayibe
(2007) said that tourism in Nigeria is at low ebb not only
because of economic hardship, but because of all the factors militating against
the industry, stating further, he said that unless the challenges facing
tourism are identified and solved, Nigerian tourism industry will remain at
nascent state.
Tourism
development in this research refers to the positive transformation of tourism
potentials to tourism products. Also Okoli (2007), defined tourism development
as the provision of infrastructures and superstructure, he further stated that,
these infrastructures (roads, water supply communication system etc) and
superstructure (hotels, motels, guesthouses etc), must be adequate and maintain
for tourism to develop. Okoli (2001), Noted that the development of an area for
tourism results to economic benefits of foreign exchange earnings, government
revenue, employment etc.
The
benefits of tourism development have not been fully exploited in Kaduna state,
due to nascent state of tourism industries, caused by numerous problems facing
the industry (Ayibe, 2008), to tackle these problems we need to uncap and
rehearse our potentials as a nation.
The
future for tourism in Nigeria is dependent on the opportunities and challenges
being exploited and addressed. The diversity of cultural attractions, the
friendly disposition of the people, a revamped National Tourism organization,
Human Resources Development and new convention Bureau provide key
opportunities.
Implementation of
Tourism Development master plan will be a major challenge for the government
and industry, as will changing the international image of Nigeria. Improving
the quality of the product and facilities and putting in place a comprehensive
training program me will require a very strong partnership between the public
and private sectors.
This
study will therefore assess the tourism potentials, there challenges‟ and
prospects in Kaduna state.
The tourism
industry in Kaduna state was not given much priority by the state government in
the past, (Kaduna state position paper on tourism, Dec, 2004). It was only
recently that the industry started receiving the attention it deserves. A
ministry of culture and tourism was created in 2003 and charged with the
responsibility of preserving, developing and providing all aspect of culture
and tourism. A tourism policy was drafted, which is an offshoot of the National
tourism policy of Nigeria.
Thrust of the policy implementation with
respect to tourism was to: generate foreign exchange, encourage even
development, promote tourism based rural-urban integration and cultural
exchange, strategies included:
1.
Provision of basic
infrastructure and tourism facilities.
2.
Establish effective
organs for the planning, development, promotion and marketing of tourism in and
outside Kaduna state.
3.
Joint ventures with
private and public.
4.
Incentives such as tax
holidays and soft loans. (KDSG, 2002).
5.
Patrol and regulation
of the industry.
In line with this the state government identified several
tourism development potentials across the state that will boost the tourism
sector.
However, it has
been observed that in spite of the laudable tourism potentials in the state,
coupled with the government interest and afford in developing the tourism
sector, the level of tourist inflow in most of these potentials sites
identified by the government is still not encouraging (Aniah, 2006). Beside,
the lack of adequate empirical data has hindered policy makers and other
stakeholders on the viability of most of the existing tourism development
potentials in the state. Studies by Eja, Iwara, et-al, (2012), on the success
factors determining
Nigeria as a tourist destination shows that most of the states with great
tourism potentials still witness a decline of tourist influx, from 5,103 in
2008 to 2,549 in 2011, due to the fact that most of the potentials within there
environment has not been provided with adequate facilities and attention. There
is no data base or model that has clearly defined the visibility and success
factors that have put Kaduna in the league of other states with great tourism
potentials.
Although many works has been done on the study of tourism in many
destinations,(Chon,1990,Chukwuemeka,2009,,Muazu,2010,Bako,2012,Adeyemi
2012). Most of these works focused on identifying,
classifying and analyzing destinations attractiveness , nevertheless there
exist a gap about knowing the touristic value of some natural and ancient
potentials in Kaduna state , this study will therefore assess these potential
in the state to determine there challenges in its development with the view of
making recommendation for improvement.
1.2 RESEARCH
QUESTIONS
The research will address three fundamental questions
1.
What are the
tourist values of selected tourism
potentials in the study area
2.
What constrains the
development of tourism potentials in the state?
1.3 AIM: The aim of this
study is to assess tourism development potentials values in Kaduna state,
with a view to making recommendations for improvement. .
1.
To review the tourism
concepts, technique‟s for assessment of tourism potentials.
2.
To examine the status
of development in some tourism potentials spots in Kaduna State.
3.
To assess selected
tourism potential values in the state.
4. To make appropriate
recommendation‟s in enhancing tourism in Kaduna state.
1.5 SCOPE AND
LIMITATIONS
The scope of this
study includes, assessing, tourism potentials using social and physical
aspects, which includes accommodation, accessibility, intensity of fairs and
festivals, tourist information and guide, food and market, average duration of
stay and car parking facilities in potential site‟s in Kaduna State.
It however does
not cover assessment of tourist receipts, statistics of tourist influx, bed occupancy,
and was limited to selected natural, historic, parks and resort potentials in
the study area.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY
Ø This study will enable policy makers to assess tourism as a tool
for development in the state, so that challenges can be identified and
recommendations may be made towards more effective Tourism development.
Ø It will serve as a relevant document for individuals,
government, and corporate organizations interested in developing tourism.
Ø This study will also contribute to knowledge, which will be
useful to researchers in tourism development studies.
Kaduna State lies between
Latitude 09o 02‟ N, 11o 33‟N and longitude 06o
10 E and 08o 50‟E, occupying a landmass of about 48,473.km2
and total population of 6,066,562 with 3,112,028 males and 2,954,534 females as
reflected by the 2006 census result. The state share common boundaries with
Niger, Katsina,Kano,Bauchi,Plateau,Nassarawa, and Zamfara states as well as the
federal capital, Abuja.
Relief:
River Kaduna is the
only major river in the state and takes its source from the highlands around
the Jos plateau. it is, however fed by many tributaries and in turn, runs into
the river Niger.
Kaduna state is
mostly an undulating plateau with parts of the state like Zaria town, kagoro
and kwoi areas having protruding hard resistant granite rocks which are as a
result of weathering through the ages of previously existing pre-Cambrian rocks.
The erosive activities resulted in the outgrowth of rocks forming Inselbergs
and large rocky upland region which are attractive for sight- seeing, examples
are the Kufena rocks in Zaria, the Kagoro Hills and other interesting rock
formations which abound in the state.
Climate:
The state has two distinct seasons-the dry season and the
rainy season. The temperature is hot during the dry season and cool during the
rainy season, from November to February and cold dry harmattan wind blows
across the state, the northern part of the state being affected most. The
southern part of the state enjoys heavier rainfall than the northern part.
The state extends from tropical
grassland (savannah) in the south to Sudan savannah in the north. The savannah
region of the state covers the southern part stretching to Gwantu, south of
Kafanchan with prevailing vegetation of tall trees and few shrubs. The Sudan
savannah or Sahel covers the northern part of the state, stretching from Zaria
down to Ikara and its environs.
Major urban cities:
The state has three major
cities, Kaduna, Zaria and Kafanchan, other towns includes, Birnin-Gwari, Ikara,
and Saminaka, Manchok, Kwoi, Kachia, Kagoro, Zonkwa, Kagarko, Giwa and many
others
Tourist
Attractions in Kaduna State:
1. General
Hassan Usman Park
2.
Lugard Hall.
3. St,
Bartholomew‟s Anglican Church.
4. Sultan
Bello Mosque.
5. The
Emir of Zazzau‟s palace.
6. Matsirga
water falls.
7. Kagoro
Hills.
8.
Zaria dam.
Parks,
Gardens, and Resorts in Kaduna:
2.
Kamuku National Park.
3.
Trappco Ranch and Resort.
4.
Pixie-Dixie Amusement Park and 5TH
Chucker.
Cultural and
religious Festivals (National Festivals):
1.
Durbar.
2.
Afan.
3.
Tuk-Ham.
Religious
Festivals:
1. Eid-EL-Fitr.
2. Eid-EL-Kabir
3. Maulud
3. Christmas
4. Easter.
There are a host of other ethnic groups within the state
that have similar colorful festivals where some boisterous theatrical performances
are displayed which can also carry one to a sheer exhilaration of fun. Amongst
them are:
The
Ikulu Festival, known as Unum Akulu carried out last Saturday of every year.
The
Akat Festival.
The
Sholio.
The
Baranzan.
The
Fantswam.
The
Angham.
At
yap.
Tsam.
The
Gbagyi Festival.
Ancient
Settlements of historic importance in the State:
1.
Turunku Site.
2.
The Ancient Nok Settlement.
Others: There are other similar
Ancient Sites that exist across the state, these include-Kamuru Dustse
(Gupang-Akong), Dutsen Bako and Fansil Settlements in Zango-Kataf Local
Government Area. Also found are Kufena Settlement Site, Kufai Kajuru, among
other
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