EVALUATION OF THE IMPACTS OF TOURISM ON THE PHYSICAL AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT OF OREDO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, EDO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The aim of the study is to identify the impacts of tourism on the physical and socioeconomic environment of Oredo Local Government Area in Edo State. To achievethis, the local government area was divided into four (4) zones – A, B, C and D. Both structured questionnaires, in terview and observation were adopted for data collection. 390 respondents were purposively chosen from the 4 zones in accordance with their population sizes. Out of 390 copies of questionnaire distributed to them, 341 were duely completed and returned. In each zone, respondents consist of town union executives, traditional rulers, school principals and headmasters, retired civil servants, local government councilors, staff of tourism board and Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Respondents were requested to scale each of the 24 variable impacts contained in the questionnaire as very serious, slightly serious, not serious or not known depending on one’s perception, and to give specific examples if the choice is very serious or slightly serious. Simple proportional percentages were used to analyse the data. Results indicate that tourism has serious physical impacts, such as loss of farmland, deforestation, loss of bio diversity, economic impacts such as job creation, improved household income, inflation, sale of local crafts and social impacts such as cultural adulteration, inter tribal marriages, formation of friendship ties and increased crime rate. It is recommended that the local government should adopt the concepts of sustainable and honey spots tourism as well as mass environmental education to sensitize and mobilize local citizenry for enhanced ecotourism.