You can liken tourism to going on a journey to a journey to any foreign country other than yours to spend the holiday. There is no problem there. What will make me very happy would be that you are familiar with tourism or maybe you have gone on a tour before. Possibly when you were younger than you are now your parents must have taken you to a separate country to spend your holidays. Just know that whatever scenario it was it is a form of Tourism. Let's look into the topic I have put in front of us.
MEANING OF TOURISM AND TOURISM IN NIGERIA
Tourism is the process or act which involves peoples visiting to places of interest where they can relax, derive pleasure and entertainment. It is also the act of discovering the free gift of nature and how man prevents them from extinction.
Tourist or Resort Centres are places where such people visits while the people who visit such places are called Tourists.
MAJOR TOURIST CENTRES IN NIGERIA
1. The National Theatre, Lagos.
2. The Game Reserves like: Yankari Game Reserve (Bauchi), Borgu Game Reserve (Kwara State).
3. The Beaches of Lagos: Bar Beach, Lekki and Badagri Suntan Beach.
4. The Zuma Rocks, Suleja (Niger State) and Olumo Rocks (Ogun State).
5. The Kainji Dam site in Kwara State.
6. The Museums in Lagos, Benin, Ife and Jos.
7. Obudu Plateau and Cattle Ranch (Cross River State).
8. Some important 5-Star Hotels in Nigeria:
(a) Sheraton Hotels and Towers (Lagos and Abuja);
(b) Nicon Noga Hilton Hotel in Abuja;
(c) Federal Palace Hotel in Lagos.
9. Some Traditional Festivals:
(a) Argungu Fishing Festival in Argungu (Kebbi State);
(b) Ibo Masquerade Festival, Enugu;
(c) New Yam Festival (throughout Igboland).
(d) Itsekiri – Ijaw Regatta in Warri, Delta State.
FACTORS THAT FAVOUR THE DEVELOPMENT OF TOURISM IN NIGERIA
The Following factors encourage the development of tourism in Nigeria:
1. Availability of Funds: Enough money should be invested in it to make it attract people.
2. Political Stability: There should be a suitable atmosphere or stability for development.
3. Beautiful Highlands: Rocks and beaches such as Obudu Plateau, Oluma Rocks, Zuma Rocks, Bar and Lekki Beaches, etc.
4. Abundance of Wild Life: Abundance of wild life such as Yankari and Borgu Game Reserves.
5. Easy Means of Transportation and Communication: Tourist centres should be sited within environments where people can have access to as well communicate with one another easily.
6. Effective Management and Publicity: The government should set up a management comprising professionals who would be well dedicated to deliver the best services. They should ensure that the best publicity possible be given to the tourism project.
7. Good Accommodations: Good accommodations such as hotels of international standard have to be provided.
IMPORTANCE OR ADVANTAGES OF TOURISM
1. Foreign Exchange: Tourist centres provide foreign exchange to the government as tourists pay in hard currencies to visit or see the tourist centres, e.g. Egypt.
2. Job Opportunities: It provides employment to many people, that is, graduates and undergraduates.
3. Education: It provides some knowledge about the new places visited.
4. Development: It leads to the improvement of certain facilities, e.g. good roads, hotels, seaports, river ports and airports. It also encourages local crafts.
5. Conservation of Wildlife: It aids the conservation of wildlife.
6. Improvement in Culture: It brings positive changes in the people’s way of life.
7. Diffusion of Ideas: It leads to diffusion or exchange of ideas between the tourists and the local people.
8. Popularity of the Country: Tourist centres help to make the country popular in the sense that many people from other countries will be visiting the country which has the tourist centre.
DISADVANTAGES OF TOURISM
1. Bad Aculturization: It can lead to breakdown of traditional values and ways of life of the people.
2. Over Dependence on Tourism Economic Sector: Over-dependence of a country on tourism industry is risky – mono economy.
3. Epidemic: It can lead to spread of contagious diseases such as venereal diseases: STDs, STIs, HIV / AIDS, mad cow disease, Ebola disease, cholera outbreak Bird flu, coronavirus or COVID-19 disease and other diseases.
As you can see Tourism is not only about the good things. There are both advantages and disadvantages of Tourism. But in my view everything about tourism is awesome.
Everyone would be fascinated to go to another country to spend a time there so there is a high rate of advantages. But economically there will of course be disadvantages and also due to pandemics such as the one which we encountered or are still encountering. The Coronavirus.
Don't mind my language in some parts of this article they are just tourist centers, cities and festivals situated in Nigeria. Hope you like this one it is also informative.
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