ABSTRACT
The work investigated the
influence of wildlife tourism on the local communities of Cross River National
Park. The study was guided by four research objectives which identified the
level of involvement of the local communities of Cross River National Park towards
wildlife tourism, ascertained the level of benefit of wildlife to the local
communities, ascertained the negative influence of wildlife tourism on the
local communities of Cross River National Park, and determined ways of
improving wildlife tourism in the study area for sustainability of both the
local communities and the National Park. The sample size for the study was 397
respondents and the study used purposive random sampling and stratified
sampling technique. Data for the research was generated through a
well-structured questionnaire allocated to residents of the study area. The
data was analyzed using descriptive analytical tools like frequencies and
percentages, mean and standard deviation and ANOVA was used to test the
hypothesis. The findings of the analysis proved that gender has significant
relationship with local community involvement in wildlife tourism (F cal 11.764
> F tab 2.13), there is significant difference in the benefit enjoyed by the
local community from wildlife tourism (F cal 24.42 > F tab 2.13) and there
is significant influence of wildlife tourism on the local community of Cross
River National Park. (F cal 2.63 > F tab 2.13) at 5% level of significance.
The empirical survey revealed that the null hypothesis was not true. From the
study, it was recommended that effective host participation in planning and
management should be encouraged as it can build support for wildlife tourism
development, create new partnership, help resolve conflict between stakeholders
and provide an additional source of knowledge and labour. Also, favourable park
policies that allow host participation in wildlife tourism should be
formulated.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title
page ii
Approval iii
Certification iv
Dedication v
Acknowledgement vi
Abstract vii
Table
of Content viii
List
of Tables xi
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
of the Study 1
1.2 Statement
of the Problem 6
1.3 Objectives
of the Study 6
1.4 Research
Questions 7
1.5 Hypothesis
of the Study 7
1.6 Significance
of the Study 7
1.7 Scope
of the Study 8
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Conceptual Framework 9
2.1.1
Wildlife 9
2.1.2
Ecotourism 10
2.1.3
Wildlife Tourism 11
2.1.4
Types of Wildlife Tourism 12
2.1.5
Negative Impacts of Wildlife Tourism 13
2.1.6
Positive Impacts of Wildlife Tourism 14
2.1.7
Tourism and the Environment 15
2.1.8
Local Community 16
2.1.9
Tourism and the Local Community 17
2.2 Theoretical Framework 18
2.2.1
Social Exchange Theory (SET) 18
2.2.2
Doxey’s Irridex 20
2.2.3
Butler’s Tourism Destination Lifecycle 20
2.2.4
Tourism Stakeholders Theory 21
2.2.5
Conservation Management Models 23
2.3 Empirical Framework 28
2.4 Influence of Wildlife Tourism on the Local
Community 30
2.5 Summary of Literature Review 31
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODLOGY
3.1 Research Design 33
3.2 Area of the Study 33
3.3 Population of the Study 34
3.4 Sample 34
3.5 Sample Technique 34
3.6 Instrument for Data Collection 35
3.7 Validation of the Instrument 36
3.8 Data Collection Techniques 36
3.9 Method of Data Analysis 36
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND
ANALYSIS
4.1 Data Analysis and Interpretation 37
4.2 Major Findings 44
4.3 Discussion of Findings 45
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATION
5.1 Summary of Findings 48
5.2 Conclusion 49
5.3 Recommendation 49
REFERENCES 51
APPENDIXES
LIST
OF TABLES
Table
4.1 Frequency Distribution According to Gender, Age, Marital Status,
Educational Qualification and Occupation……………………………………………………………………37
Table
4.2 Mean Response on Level of Involvement
of Host Community in Wildlife Tourism...39
Table
4.3 Mean Response on Host Community Benefit from Wildlife
Tourism…………..........40
Table
4.4 Mean Response on Negative
Influence of Wildlife Tourism…………………………41
Table
4.5 Mean Response on Ways to Improve
Wildlife Tourism for Sustainability of the Local Community and the Park...………………………………………………………………………42
Table
4.6 Gender and Local Community Involvement in Wildlife Tourism. …………………..43
Table
4.7 Benefit Enjoyed by Local Community from Wildlife
Tourism....................................43
Table
4.8 Influence of Wildlife Tourism on Host Community………………………………….44
CHAPTER ONE
1.0
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE
STUDY
Tourism has made a lot of positive impact on many
countries around the world with the view of creating conducive environment for
tourists to visit such destinations and by so doing, it has promoted avenues
for revenue generation in such countries where it serves as a foreign exchange.
Presently, nations and group of nations have become increasingly aware of the
immense benefits derivable from tourism and are vigorously developing their
tourism industry (Okpoko, 2006). Tourism in Nigeria centers largely on events
due to the country’s ample amount of ethnic groups, but also includes
rainforests, savanna, waterfalls and other natural attractions (Archibong,
2004). According to Okpoko and Okpoko (2002), tourism could be seen as any
temporary movement either individually or in groups from one place to another
with aim of achieving some desired objectives. A consensus definition was proposed
by the word tourism organization (WTO) which was enclosed by the United Nations
World Statistical Commission in 1993 “tourism comprises the activities of
people travelling to and staying in a place outside their usual environment for
not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business or other purpose not
related to the activities of remuneration from within the place visited”
(Holden, 2008). Tourism is
dynamic involving customer driven force and it’s the world’s largest industry
if all its interrelated components are placed under one umbrella (Walker, 2002).
These component include: hospitality, lodging/accommodation, conventions,
expositions, meetings and events, restaurants, managed services, recreations
and transportation. Tourism is one of the world’s fastest growing industry and
major source of income to many countries of the world and it plays a major role
in framing the various services that the hospitality companies perform
(Stephen, 2005).
According to the European Journal of Tourism
Hospitality and Research, (2013) tourism could be classified into: domestic
tourism: This is when people take
holidays, short breaks and day trips in their own country. Examples could be: a
couple taking a weekend breaks in their own country, supporters of a football
team going to an away game featuring their local team etc. Incoming/inbound
tourism: This describes people entering the country in question from their home
country, so it is a type of international tourism. Examples could be: a party
of Japanese visitors coming to Europe on a trip, teams from different countries
entering a country for an international event etc. Outbound tourism: This term
applies when people travel away from their home country to visit other
international countries for leisure or business. Examples of this could be: a
family from Belgium going on holiday to Austria business people from the UK
travelling to America to visit a major exhibition etc. Other types of tourism
describe the various reasons or purpose why people travel: for recreation,
business, leisure, sport, religion, culture, ecotourism, health, education,
wildlife tourism etc.
Wildlife
tourism according to The Cooperative Research Centre
(CRC), (2001) is “tourism that involves encounters with non-domesticated
animals either in their natural environment or in captivity. It includes a wide
range of activities, such as bird-watching, whale-watching, general wildlife
viewing, visiting zoos and aquaria, snorkeling to view underwater life, hunting
and recreational fishing”. Wildlife tourism encompasses non-consumptive
interactions with wildlife, such as observing and photographing animals in
their natural habitats. It also has the recreational aspect of adventure and
supports the values of ecotourism and nature conservation programs (Newsome,
Dowling, Moore, Susan, 2005). According to Mason (2003), tourism
activities take place in a natural and manmade environment, which is extremely
complex. This manmade environment consists of economic, social and cultural
processes and factors, and the natural environment is made up of the natural
landscape, climate, flora and fauna present in a certain space. He argues that
there can be made a clear delimitation between the two environments, which is
necessary when we talk about tourism’s impacts.
The
economic benefits and costs generated by tourism activity could be viewed from
three sides: tourists, local community and authorities (Goeldner and Ritchie,
2012, Saarinen, 2007). On one side we have the tourists, who pay to enjoy a
certain form of tourism and on another side, we have the local community who
enjoy the benefits (mainly financial) from the tourism activity and at the same
time, they are the ones who have to face the hidden costs tourists leave behind
and finally, we have the government and the local authorities. For them,
tourism generates revenues through taxes, the creation of jobs and contribution
to the balance of payments (Goeldner and Ritchie, 2012, Saarinen, 2007). Also
for investors, the benefits are solely financial, based on the incomes of the
businesses they have set up in the host- region. Regarding the costs, investors
are immune to any other cost, than the financial one (Saarinen, 2007).
According to Archer et al., (2005), the
tourism industry seems to be the most efficient branch of the economy in
generating jobs and income in less developed, peripheral countries/regions,
where development opportunities are limited. In these regions, the economic
impact of tourism is felt most strongly. People from these regions are
generally farmers or fishermen and the involvement in tourism activity can
substantially increase their household income. Also an increase in the local
tourism industry can provide an incentive for related activities (agricultural
products or souvenirs that could be used for the accommodation and catering).
According to some authors (Archer et. al., 2005), the introduction of tourism
industry in these regions may have a greater effect on the welfare of the
resident population, compared to a more developed region in the same country. For
such a development of tourism in an emerging country or region the following
are needed: basic infrastructure (access roads, drinking water etc.), lodging
(hotels, pensions, etc.) and other facilities and services necessary for
tourism (catering, transport, etc.). At a superficial level, the economic
benefits of tourism seem obvious. “In recent years an increasing number of
authors have expressed reservations about the nature and extent of the benefits
of tourism and expressed skepticism about the potential of tourism as a
catalyst for growth and development as a means of maximizing the welfare of
local people" (Archer et al., 2005).
The
socio-cultural impact of tourism could be seen as the interactions between
locals and tourists which generates the emergence of new ideas, values and
motivations for social and economic progress (Bersales 2005, Nyaupane et al.,
2006). The impacts could either be positive or negative. Tourism can revitalize
a community's cultural life, as art and traditions are an attraction for
foreign visitors (Mason 2003). According to Kreag (2001), Some of the positive
impacts could include: Improvement of life’s quality, facilitating meeting of
visitors (educational experience), positive changes in values and customs of
the host community, promoting cultural exchange, improving understanding of
different communities, preserving cultural identity of host population,
increasing demand for historical and cultural exhibits, greater tolerance of
social differences, satisfaction of psychological needs. The negative impacts
could include: excessive drinking, alcoholism, gambling, increased underage
drinking, crime, drugs, prostitution, increased smuggling, language and
cultural effects, unwanted lifestyle changes, displacement of residents for
tourism development, negative changes in values and customs, family disruption,
exclusion of locals from natural
resources, new cliques modify social structure, natural, political, and
public relations calamities.
Compared
with the economic impact of tourism, the environment has become a theme for
studies and research recently, joining in the ecologist stream at the end of
the '80s and early '90s (Holden, 2003). Consequently, when talking about the
relationship between tourism and the natural environment, it is necessary to
consider that this relationship is the expression of human interaction with
nature, therefore, to determine the effect of tourism on the natural
environment we should take into account the following: the price we attach to
nature, cultural stereotypes about nature and the ethical relationship of man
with nature (Holden, 2009). Sharpley (2006) believes that the environment is a
fundamental element of the tourists’ experience. Tourists are looking for
attractive natural resources, different and special, allowing specific tourism
activities and at the same time, the development of tourism consumes resources,
creates waste and requires a certain degree of infrastructure development,
which in some cases can lead to the degradation and destruction of the
environment. On one hand, Holden (2009) believes that the natural environment
has benefited from tourism, through the conservation actions and protection of
nature (natural and national parks, protected areas etc.) and also, tourism causes
a deeper appreciation of the nature of the tourists and the local population.
On the other hand, tourism has direct negative effects on the natural
environment and it puts a high pressure on the carrying capacity of host
regions. It becomes obvious that the environment consisting of the countryside
will suffer from the construction of hotels, parks, shopping malls or amusement
parks. Most common consequences of tourism on the environment are: changing the
structure of flora and fauna (ski slopes), pollution of water, air and soil, etc.,
soil erosion (landslides or disappearance of beaches), depletion of natural
resources, traffic congestion and public transport, visual impact
(anarchic/chaotic urbanization of seaside and mountain resorts). Unfortunately,
the local population is one that has to "pay" the costs of the
resulting environment degradation from tourist exploitation and the degradation
is most of time observed or felt only after a period of time (Beeton 2006,
Holden 2009).
A
community could be seen as a group of individual living or working within the
sense geographical area with some shared cultures or common interest (Aref.et
al. 2010). This geographical definition of community is essential to understand
how community development is linked (Olsder and Van der Donk, 2006) or the
ability of a community to improve tourism development. According to Godfrey and
Clarke (2000), communities form a basic element in modern tourism as they are
the focal point for the supply of accommodation, catering, information,
transport facilities and services. Their local natural environment, buildings,
and institutions, their people, culture and history, all form core elements of
what the tourists come to see, whether as towns, villages or cities, every
community has tourism at one level or the other and are affected by the growth
and development of the industry. Scherl and Edwards (2007), describes local
communities as group of people with a common identity and who may be involved
in an array of related aspects of livelihoods. They further note that local
communities often have customary rights related to the area and its natural
resources and a strong relationship with the area culturally, socially,
economically and spiritually. The community a tourist visits is often termed as
host community. Cook, Yale, and Marqua (2006), defined the host community as
towns or cities that welcome visitors and provide them with their desired
services. Smith (2001), also defined host communities as people who live in the
vicinity of the tourist attraction and are either directly or indirectly
involved with, and/ or affected by the tourism activities.
According
to IUCN 1988, the CRNP is the largest protected forest in the moist forest zone
of Nigeria, a region where greater than 90% of the original forest has been
lost or degraded. As such, it represents one of Nigeria’s most important
natural resource assets, supporting fisheries, protecting watersheds and
climatic stability. It preserves genetic resources and provides opportunities
for eco-tourism (Emaviwe, 2014). The park is home to 199 mammal, 63 frog and
toad, 20 reptile, 380 bird 48 fish and 950 butterfly species (NTDC, 2012).
Eighteen of 23, representing some 78% of primate species recorded in Nigeria
are found here; two of which - the Cross River gorilla, (gorilla gorilla
deihli) and the chimpanzee (pantroglodytes) being highly endangered hominids (NTDC,
2012).
1.2
STATEMENT
OF THE PROBLEM
Frequently,
communities are forbidden from extracting natural resources that are important
for their livelihood, and in many instances, traditional communities are
removed from their land with little consultation or adequate compensation (Jim
and Xu 2002, Brown 2003, and Anthony 2007). Inevitably, this has often
triggered advanced social impacts on local communities, destructing their
traditional ways of living (Garcia-Frapolli et al., 2009). According to Tosun
(2000), it is for this foregoing reasons that local people’s involvement and
participation in the tourism industry serves to ensure the protection of these tourists’
products and services through effective collaborative management of the
industry centered towards a more community-driven planning approach that
guarantees strong community support for successful tourism development. In
addition, tourism occurs among the local communities and they are the ones that
often bear the tourism damage and in most cases they form part of the tourist
products and experience that visitors seek (Tosun, 2000, Li, 2005, Beeton,
2006).
The
present study leans on the belief that if the impact of the park on its local
community is not considered, tourism in that area may not thrive as the local
community has a significant role to play in the continued existence of the
park. These form the reason for the study of the influence of wildlife tourism
on the host communities of Cross River National Park.
1.3
OBJECTIVES
OF THE STUDY
The
main objective of this work was to examine the influence of wildlife tourism on
the local communities of Cross River National Park. Specifically, the study:
1. Identified the level of involvement of the
local communities of Cross River National Park towards wildlife tourism.
2.
Ascertained the level of benefit of wildlife to the local communities.
3.
Ascertained the negative influence of wildlife tourism on the local communities
of Cross River National Park.
4.
Determined ways of improving wildlife tourism in the study area for
sustainability of both the local communities and the National Park.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. What
is the level of involvement of the local communities towards wildlife tourism?
2. To
what extent do the local communities of Cross River National Park benefit from
wildlife tourism?
3. What
are the negative influence of wildlife tourism on the local communities of the
park?
4. What
are the ways of improving wildlife tourism for the sustainability of both the
local communities and the National Park?
1.5
HYPOTHESIS
OF THE STUDY
H01:
There is no significant difference in the relationship between
respondents’ gender and their involvement in wildlife tourism.
H02:
There is no significant difference in the benefit enjoyed by the local
communities from wildlife tourism.
H03:
There is no significant influence of wildlife tourism on the local communities
of Cross River National Park.
1.6 SIGNFICANCE OF THE
STUDY
The
result of this study will be of great benefit if successfully implemented. The
benefits that shall accrue from the study include: conservation of
biodiversity, sustainable tourism development, reduction of overexploitation of
wild land and wildlife resources in protected areas, employment creation,
revenue generation, improvement of the host community livelihood, and creating
visitor awareness on the benefit of wildlife tourism. The beneficiaries from
this study include: the host communities of Cross River National Park, the park
management, tourists, government and other researchers.
The
study will be of immense benefit to the host community by which their
participation in wildlife tourism would generate significant income and will be
motivated to conserve biodiversity, also sustainable tourism can directly
contribute to biodiversity conservation by offering less destructive livelihood
alternatives to local communities and landowners in buffer zones and
conservation corridors, away from unregulated logging, intensive
cattle-ranching, monoculture, hunting, and unsustainable tourism, providing an
incentive for public and private landowners in critical ecosystems to
permanently conserve biodiversity-rich properties and providing economic
alternatives for local people to reduce overexploitation of wild land and
wildlife resources on protected areas. Also for the park management, it will
provide the managers with additional financial resources from visitation and
donations, create visitor’s awareness, promoting community involvement and
interest in conservation issues, and generating political support for
conservation through environmental education during travel. Tourist flow as a
result of sustainability of the park can generate revenue for the government
and the study can also serve as a reference point for other researchers.
1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
Studying
tourism as a broad term might seem a bit difficult as it may not be easy
covering all aspects of tourism. Therefore, for the purpose of this research,
the scope would be narrowed to just an aspect of tourism which is wildlife
specifically in Cross River Nation Park while considering its influence on the
local communities of that area.
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