The Impact of Tourism Development on Poverty Reduction in Nigeria

Abstract

Fighting poverty is a major challenge for Nigeria. Tourism can make a significant contribution to this fight. However, it is important to analyze the basic concepts behind specific policies and actions that would allow tourism to be effective. In fact, tourism development must be properly managed, avoiding anarchic, speculative development, so that it can be transformed into benefits for the local people and their environment. This paper will list seven areas of action through which tourism development in Nigeria could fight poverty, with several of them relating to the possibilities created by micro–credit. After analyzing each of these approaches, a methodology must be drawn up for selecting the most effective projects from two points of view – interest for tourism and impact on poverty reduction.

Keywords: poverty reduction, economy, tourism development, impact.