Influence of Socio-Economic Factors on Sustainability of Ecotourism in Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract This study examined the influence of socio-economic factors (accommodation and security) on the sustainability of ecotourism in Cross River State, Nigeria. The study was motivated by the increasing growth of global tourism and the need to balance environmental conservation with tourism development. A survey research design was adopted for the study. The population comprised 23,717 residents and workers around selected ecotourism sites, from which a sample of 1,184 respondents was drawn using purposive, census, and proportionate sampling techniques. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire titled Socio-Economic Factors and Sustainability of Ecotourism Questionnaire (SFSEQ), which was validated by experts. Two null hypotheses were tested using Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that accommodation does not significantly relate to the sustainability of ecotourism, indicating that tourists are more inclined toward natural experiences such as camping rather than hotel accommodation. Similarly, security was found not to have a significant relationship with ecotourism sustainability, although its importance for safety and policy development was acknowledged. The study concluded that while accommodation and security are relevant, they do not significantly determine ecotourism sustainability in the study area. It was recommended that emphasis should be placed on environmental conservation practices, provision of mobile camping facilities, and community involvement in site protection rather than excessive infrastructural development.

Keywords: Ecotourism, Sustainable Tourism, Accommodation, Security, Socio-Economic Factors, Environmental Conservation