INTERACTION EFFECTS OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS ON TOURISM SECTOR DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA: A CASE STUDY OF ANAMBRA STATE

Abstract

Nigeria’s quest to diversify her economy into tourism over the years out of being a monoproduct economy have not recorded any significant success in respect of tourist arrivals andrevenues despite implemented policy targets. The extent to which the policy targets canaccomplish the objective of developing tourism sector depends on the level and sincerity ofgovernments’ partnership with private individuals. Currently, there is little or no partnership,and marketing and promotion which targeted private individuals (locals and foreigners) havenot been significantly successful. While the locals are constrained by some demographic factorsincluding health quality of life, gender, socioeconomic status and educational level to demandfor tourism services or invest in the sector, the foreigners are not motivated to buy Nigeria’stourism services due to unattractive and poorly developed destination in Nigeria. The policymakers in government are yet to understand fully how the aforementioned demographic factorsjointly influence tourism sector development as a result of dearth of studies of Nigerianbackground in this regard, especially in respect of Anambra state. Therefore, the studyinvestigated the demographic factors and their joint effect on tourism sector development inNigeria: case study of Anambra state, using propensity to invest and participate in tourismsector development as mediating variable. About 400 subjects were constituted for the studyusing multi stage sampling from sampling units in Anambra state. The study employed ageneralized univariate model multiple regression to analyze the within and between subjecteffects of health quality of life, gender, socioeconomic status and educational level onpropensity to invest and participate in tourism sector development. Results indicated amongothers that: (1) There is significant joint effect of health quality of life and gender on tourismsector development. (2) There is significant joint effect of gender, socioeconomic status andeducational level on tourism sector development. (3) There is significant joint effect of healthquality of life, socioeconomic status and educational level on tourism sector development. Itwas recommended inter alia that Anambra state should partner with private individuals in thearea of healthcare, gender inclusiveness, education and financial capital to develop tourismsector in Anambra state and this can be replicated by all states in Nigeria and the federalgovernment.