An assessment of cultural heritage tourism in Zaria, Nigeria

Abstract

Tourism has emerged in the last three to four decades as a major industry that can boost socio-economic growth, economic development etc. It has proven to be a major vehicle that developing nations use to improve and get ahead in enhancing their respective economies. In this research, the cultural heritage tourism segment of Zaria was investigated and assessed on the future possibilities of developing a world class tourism sector. To explore topic, the major areas that were investigated were, tourism laws and policies implemented in the tourism sector in relation to cultural heritage tourism, the infrastructural and other physical developments, the awareness and involvement of the local community in the study area, and the issues and problems that are hindering the development of cultural heritage tourism and tourism in Zaria. To achieve these objectives, the thesis employed a qualitative and quantitative method which entailed secondary data such as publications, journals and primary data through the analysis of 238 questionnaire surveys to the population in the study area. The result of the study shows that there are no laws and policies that are enacted for the function of cultural heritage tourism at the local level or the state level, the urban development sector is very lacking in infrastructure and public facilities that can support cultural heritage tourism and tourism in general. The local community claims to be aware and involved in cultural heritage tourism and the issues in the tourism sector that were identified were lack of funding for physical development, political instability, lack of effective and implemented tourism policies and legislation, under developed tourism products and so on. Therefore, immediate investment in physical developments, enacting effective tourism policies and legislations, development of cultural products was recommended to the government.