Community Participation and Sustainable Lake-Based Ecotourism Development in Cross River State, Nigeria 0 0
Keywords:
Community participation, Ecotourism, Lakes, Sustainable development, Cross River StateAbstract
This study examined the role of community participation in the sustainable development of lake-based ecotourism in Cross River State, Nigeria. The study was motivated by the increasing recognition of ecotourism as a tool for rural development, environmental conservation, and livelihood diversification in resource-rich communities. Despite the abundance of lakes in Cross River State, many remain underutilized for tourism development due to inadequate community involvement and weak management structures. A descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. Data were collected from 350 respondents across selected lake communities including Kwa Falls Lake, Egwebe Lake, Refome Lake, Ejagham Lake, , Nkum Apambe Lake, and the Afi River Wetland/Lake System using structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics such as frequency and percentages were used for data analysis, while Pearson Product Moment Correlation was used to test the hypothesis. Findings revealed that community participation in lake management was relatively low, although a majority of respondents expressed willingness to participate in ecotourism initiatives. The study further established a strong positive relationship between community participation and sustainable ecotourism development (r = 0.946, p < 0.05). The study concluded that active involvement of local communities is essential for the sustainable management and development of lake-based ecotourism in Cross River State. The study recommended improved stakeholder collaboration, environmental education, community empowerment, and inclusive tourism planning.
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References
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