CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION OF THE STUDY

1.1 INTRODUCTION
As geographers and environmentalists, one of our primary focus is man and space
(his migration and movement pattern across space.) man’s movement is usually for
various purposes. These include among others economic, security, and educational
purposes. However today, one other reason that man moves across space, is simple
for the sole purpose of leisure, relaxation, and recreation. This can otherwise
simply be described as tourism.

Word travel and tourism council (1997) projects that the economics of the 21 st
century will be dominated by three industries: telecommunication, information
technology and tourism. The tourism has grown by over 500% in the last 26 years
and it is estimated that by the year 2007, tourist will spend US $886 billion in
foreign countries on tourism related activities. It has been estimated that by the
year 2007, more than 100 million people worldwide will be employed in this
sector. (www.qmced.ac.uk)

For these reason alone tourism is valued highly by many countries and other holds
a very prominent position in development strategies. It is actively promoted and
industry bodies are courted by government due to its potential to significantly
bolster foreign exchange and domestic employment increases in leisure time, the
growth in real income mobility, technological improvements in communications
and international transportation, and demography changes in the west all have led
to the strong global demand for the tourism. According to a study, a 10% increase
in real income in developed countries lead to consumers increasing their foreign
travel by expenditure by 13 to 20% (arts in Goldfarb, 1989). This growth has
significant implication for developing countries. Revenues received from tourism
receipt nowaccount for more than 10% of the value in 47developing countries and
more than 50% of the comparable amount received from export revenues in 17
countries.

Somewhere in this tourism, ’explosion’ lies a major component, Ecotourism. The

international ecotourism society (TIES) in 1991 produced one of the earliest
definitions for Ecotourism. It defined it as ‘responsible travel to natural areas that
conserves the environment and sustains the wellbeing of local people. Ecotourism
has evolved into a type of specialty trade, incorporating a diverse (and often
bewildering) or any of activities and tourism types, from bird watching, scientific
study, photograph, diving, bush walking to regeneration of damaged ecosystems

Ecotourism is a broad and loose garment word. For some it is a subset of nature
based tourism activities, for others it is a niche market, a specific type of special
interest tourism. In a relatively short period of time it has caught the imaginations
of many local communities, government and interventional environmental
organizations. Estimates of ecotourism growth are extremely variable at the present
time, but range from anywhere between 10% and 30% (kallen 1990; Vickland,
1980 ). The tourism industry has wholly embraced ecotourism, even to the extent
of the term ecotourism becoming the buzz word of the late 1990s. fundamentally
ecotourism involves traveling to relatively undisturbed or protected natural areas,
fostering, understanding, appreciation and conversion of the flora, fauna geology
and ecosystem of an area. The fauna, flora, geology and ecosystem of an area
highlight the nature based aspect of ecotourism. But ecotourism is not defined by
this relationship alone. Biological and physical features are central to ecotourism
and the conservation of natural areas and sustainable resource management is
therefore essential for the planning, development and management of ecotourism.
Also, activity of ecotourism must positively contribute to conservation in the
destination area or lost community. Ecotourism is about attracting visitor for the
‘right’ reason and not simply the promotion of tourism for the sake of the ‘tourist
dollar’ at the expense of community’s natural and cultural attributes. Ecotourism in
its purest form is an industry which claims to make a low impact on the
environment and local culture, while helping to generate money, jobs and helping
to conserve the environment of wildlife and vegetation. It provides a way to help
educate the community to protect and conserve the environment for both residents
and tourist. Therefore residents of host communities for various ecotourism sites
should be aware of and have a positive attitude towards ecotourism. Ecotourism is
a subset of tourism.
The United Nations Statistical Commission (1993) adopted the definition given by
the world Tourism. The officially accepted definition is: “tourism comprises the
activities of people traveling to staying place outside their usual environments for
more than one consecutive day for leisure, business and other purpose.”
Ecotourism falls within the general ambiance of the very broad tourism industry by
its nature, principles, practices and even definition. There is a thin line between
tourism and ecotourism. While tourism basically involves travel for leisure,
ecotourism combines leisure with conservation tourism being a human activity
requires the closest harmony between the attitude and behavior of tourists and the
local people (Inskemp 1991). Tourism growth hinges on a number of delicate
parameters which are mostly qualitative in nature, the social professional structures
of the local population, their level of education and knowledge, standard of living,
opinions and attitudes regarding the tourist phenomenon and its cultural and
institutional effects. The attitude of the local people towards ecotourism is an
important factor to consider before carrying out such developments. Inskeep
(1991) also contended that although not quantifiable, very real attraction for many
tourists can be the friendly, hospitable character of the local residents and more
generally, their tolerance and acceptance of tourist visiting their region. The
honesty and reliability of the residents in their dealings with tourists are also
important factors to consider in determining the potential attractiveness of an area.
Gunn (1994) notes that an areas tourism attraction potential includes nearby rural
areas as well as the cities, within a destination zone. It is likely that the majority of
cultural resources will be found within communities, whereas most natural
resources are located in the surrounding areas. It is, therefore, essential that the
developers of tourism communicate with the local communities of tourism is to
develop.
Half of the people who engage in tourist activities do so in the third world
countries. An analysis of the market were ecotourism has made inroads indicates
that developing countries with their abundant variety of physical attractions, have
most of the natural qualities necessary to position ecotourism a prime offering in
the tourism industry.
Nigeria is one of the world’s most prominent third world Country with its
administrative capital in Abuja. Abuja is designated as the Federal Capital
Territory. Abuja is today without any doubt one of the fastest growing
cities with immerse ecotourism potentials. Abuja is centrally located and
this ensures easy accessibility from all parts of the country either by air or
road. It has an intentional Airport through which foreigners can easily
access the city and country. Ecotourism potential of Abuja is in its
landscape profiled by rolling hills, isolated highlands and gaps with low
dissected plains. Its indigenous people and their culture

1.2. STATEMENT OF RESEARCH PROBLEM

Ecotourism is widely recognized as the fastest growing segment of the tourism

industry. It has huge financial and economic benefits. It also raises ecological
awareness while conserving the natural environment. Ecotourism development in
Abuja is faced with some challenges, principal among which are policy issues such
as Green Area development, funding and conversion of green areas to other
purposes. Ecotourism being a human activity requires positive perception and
attitudes to develop. Ecotourism is a human activity and thus requires positive
attitudes and perception to develop. The absence therefore of positive attitudes and
poor perception of residents/tourists about ecotourism and the environment is
likely to affect the development of ecotourism and the entire broad tourism
industry and environmental/biodiversity conservation in Abuja. Today there is still
very huge ignorance of many people about ecotourism and environmental
conservation. Lack of community awareness and positive attitudes towards
ecotourism and the environment is likely to lead to the depletion of the
environment.

Ecotourism is a relatively new concept, where there is still dearth of

research work specially in Nigeria. where available, it has been mainly on
the supply side i.e. economic benefits. Attitudes and perceptions of the
residents, which is critical to ecotourism development is still poorly
researched into. The onus falls on environmentalists, academia, non-
government agencies, tour operators etc. to conduct research, educate,
enlighten and sensitize the general populace about ecotourism and it’s dual
potential of being able to conserve environmental resources (biodiversity
i.e. flora and fauna) and also to generate huge financial Income.

In Abuja FCT, over the last five years, there have been some deliberate efforts by
the territory’s administration to embark on some corrective measures in urban
development processes in order to restore the masterplan of the territory’s main
city, the Abuja Federal Capital city (FCC). This restoration, which was
necessitated by series of abuses the masterplan was subjected to, involved among
 other things the restoration/development of areas designated as ‘green areas’ in the
master plan. To reconcile the conflict between the need to have spaces for human
usage and also for natural preservation, such spaces were largely redeveloped into
sites for various activities that fall within the realm of ecotourism. For such sites to
be put into the usage they are now being converted into, there is definitely the need
for the people to not only be aware about the objectives of their development, but
to also have favorable disposition towards them. There is hence the need for us to
know the perception and attitude of the people towards the development of
ecotourism sites in the territory and the need for this constitutes the problem of
research interest to this study.

1.3 AIM AND OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study is to access people’s perception and attitude towards the
development of ecotourism in the Federal Capital city (FCC), Abuja. The
objectives of this research study are to:

1. Identify the various ecological sites and their suitability for ecotourism in the study
area
2. Examine people’s perception and attitudes towards ecotourism
3. To access the level of awareness and understanding of residents/tourists about the
ecotourism and environmental conservation.
1.4 SCOPE OF STUDY

The scope of this study is limited to phases I and II of the Abuja FCC. This is not
only because they are the two most developed ecotourism sites in the territory are
located. Figure 1.1 gives the main districts found within the two phases.

1.5 JUSTIFICATION OF RESEARCH

Ecotourism Is a growing niche market within the larger travel industry, with the
potential of being an important sustainable development tool. With global annual
sales running into billions of dollars, ecotourism is a real industry that seeks to take
advantage of market trends. Nigeria whose capital Abuja is being used as a case
study for this research, is a country in dire need of an alternative source of foreign
exchange earning aside the present crude oil.
Tourism is a principle “export” (foreign exchange earner) for 83% of developing
countries, and the learning export for 1/3 of poorest countries.

FIGURE 1.1 THE MAIN DISTRICTS IN ABUJA FCC PHASES I AND II

MAP

For the world’s poorest countries, tourism is the second most important source of
foreign exchange, after oil. Over last decade, tourism has been “the only large
sector of international trade in services where poor countries have consistently
posted a surplus. International tourism in developing countries is increasing by
9.5% a year compared to 4.6% worldwide.

Tourism “appears to be one of the few economic sectors able to guide a number of
developing countries to higher levels of prosperity and for some to leave behind
their least-developed country status.

Beginning in 1990s, ecotourism has been growing 20% - 34% per year. In 2004,
ecotourism/nature tourism was growing globally 3 times faster than the tourism
industry as a whole. Nature tourism is growing at 10% -12% per annum in the
national market. Sun-and-sand resort tourism has now “matured as a market” and
its growth is projected to remain flat. In the contrast, “experiential” tourism-which
encompasses ecotourism, nature, heritage, cultural, and soft adventure tourism, as
well as sub-sectors such as rural and community tourism -is among the sector
expected to grow most quickly over the next two decades. United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP) and Conservation International have indicated
that most of tourism’s expansion is occurring in and around the world’s remaining
natural areas. xxi o Sustainable tourism could grow to 25% of the world’s travel
market within six years, taking the value of the sector to £250 billion (US$473.6
billion) a year. Analysis Predict a growth in eco-resorts and hotels, and a boom in
nature tourism – a sector already growing at 20% a year -and suggest early
converts to sustainable tourism will make market gains.

Ecotourism, if properly explored adhering to its principles, practice and indeed the
entire broad segment of the tourism industry, it can provide a very viable
alternative source of revenue. Critical to the success of ecotourism as an economic
activity anywhere in the world is attitude and perceptions of both tourist and
residents. It is therefore very necessary to determine whether the attitude of tourists
and residents are either positive or negative when plans for successful tourism are
being drawn up.

This research work seeks to do that for the federal Capital Territory. Previous
research works available have being on the broad tourism industry . Ecotourism
which has been identified as the most sustainable kind of tourism that can conserve
the environment is still scantly researched into in Nigeria. This research seeks to
cover that gap.