CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS OF DEVELOPING ABADABA LAKE IN OBOWO L.G.A, IMO STATE INTO A TOURISM SITE.

ABSTRACT

This work was carried out to ascertain the Challenges and Prospects of Developing Abadaba Lake into a tourism Site. A Lake located between the serene villages of Okwuohia, Odenkume and Umuezegwu in Obowo Local Government Area of Imo sate, Nigeria. The study Objectives were to identify the tourism potentials of Abadaba Lake, to determine efforts made in the past to develop Abadaba Lake for tourism, to ascertain the challenges and prospects of developing the Lake, to find out how the Lake can be developed, determine the perception of the Local Communities and their attitudes towards the Lake and its development. The methodology was survey design, the population for the study consist of 380, sample for the study consist of 280 respondents made up of tourism officials of Imo State Tourism Board, selected members of the traditional council and some other indigenes’ of the Local Communities and staff of the Imo State ministry of culture and Tourism. Data for this research was generated using quantitative techniques, simple frequency, percentage were used to analyze the data generated for the research. The findings of this research revealed that change of government executives, safety/security challenge, lack of fund, lack of government interest etc as the challenges of developing Abadaba Lake, The study revealed also that, tourism development of Abadaba Lake will bring about, Infrastructural development, Revenue Generation, Generation of employment, Protection and improvement of the environmental qualities and Promotion of local businesses around the destination, Improvement of the standard of living (that is the prospects). The study revealed also that the Local Communities likes and welcomes the Tourism Development of Abadaba Lake and others. It was recommended that for Abadaba Lake to be developed there should be adequate tourist facilities such as good road network, creating of awareness, embracing of information technology etc.  The government, private sectors and other stakeholders should collaborate with each other by providing all the raw materials needed for the development of this potential tourist site to meet the current tourism demand.

TABLE OF CONTENT

Title page ﾿ i ﾿

Declaration ﾿ i

Certification                                                                                                               iii ﾿ ﾿

Dedication                                                                                                                  iv      ﾿ ﾿

Acknowledgement                                                                                                     v

Table of content                                                                                                         vi- vii ﾿

List of tables and Plates                                                                                             viii

Abstract                                                                                                                      ix

CHAPTER ONE ﾿

INTRODUCTION ﾿

1.1 ﾿       Background of the Study ﾿     1 ﾿

1.2 ﾿       Statement of the Problem ﾿     2

1.3 ﾿       Objectives of the Study ﾿     3  

1.4 ﾿       Research Question ﾿     3

1.5 ﾿       Significance of the Study ﾿     4

1.6 ﾿       Scope of the Study ﾿     4

1.7 ﾿ Limitation of The Study ﾿     4

1.8 ﾿ Definition of Terms ﾿     5

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW ﾿

2 .1 ﾿ Conceptual Framework ﾿    7

2.1.1 ﾿ Tourism ﾿    7

2.1.2 ﾿ Development ﾿    8

2.1.3 ﾿ Tourism Development ﾿    8

2.1.4 ﾿ Development, Procedures, and Control ﾿    9

2.1.5     Challenges of Tourism ﾿    13

2.1.6 ﾿ Prospects of Tourism Development ﾿    15

2.1.7 ﾿ Historical Perspective ﾿    18

2.1.8 ﾿ Wetland Ecosystem ﾿    21

2.1.9 ﾿ Tourism Potential ﾿    23

2.1.10  Tourism Development and Fresh Water Ecosystem ﾿    25

2.2.      Theoretical Framework ﾿    26 

2.2.1. ﾿ Modernization Theory ﾿    26

2.2.2. ﾿ Dependency Theory ﾿    31

2.2.3. ﾿ Environmental Theories ﾿    31

2.2.4. ﾿ Sustainability Theories ﾿    34

2.3. ﾿ Empirical Review ﾿    34

2.3.1. ﾿ Tourism Development ﾿    35

2.3.2.    Problems and Prospects of Tourism Development ﾿    35

2.4. ﾿ Theoretical Orientation ﾿    36

CHAPTER THREE

3.0.      Materials and Methods ﾿ 38

3.1. ﾿ Research Design ﾿ 38

3.2. ﾿ Study Area ﾿ 38

3.3. ﾿ Population for the Study ﾿ 39

3.4. ﾿ Sample and Sampling Technique ﾿ 39

3.5. ﾿ Instrument Used For Data Collection ﾿ 39

3.6. ﾿ Techniques for Data Collection ﾿ 40

3.7. ﾿ Validation of Instrument ﾿ 40

3.8 ﾿ Data Analysis Technique ﾿ 40

CHAPTER FOUR

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

4.1        Data Presentation and Analysis ﾿ 41

4.2       Presentation of photographs and Analysis of tourism potentials

﾿ Identified at the lake ﾿ 42 ﾿

4.3 ﾿ Discussion of Findings ﾿ 48

CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATION

5.1. ﾿ Summary ﾿ 52

5.1.1 ﾿ Restatement of the Problem ﾿ 52

5.1.2 ﾿ Description of Procedures Used ﾿ 53

5.1.3 ﾿ Summary of Findings ﾿ 53

5.2 ﾿ Conclusion ﾿ 54

5.3 ﾿ Recommendations ﾿ 54

5.4 ﾿ Contribution to Knowledge ﾿ 54

LISTS OF TABLES AND PLATES

Table.4.1 ﾿ Demographic Characteristic of Respondent ﾿                                     41 ﾿

Plate 1 ﾿ Pictorial view of Abadaba Lake ﾿   41

Plate 2 ﾿ Hotel and Bar ﾿   43

Plate 3 ﾿ Access leading  to  Abadaba Lake ﾿   43

Table 4.2 ﾿ Identified Tourism Potentials and  Readiness Status ﾿   44

Table 4.3 ﾿ Stakeholder that  made  the effort ﾿   45

Table 4.4 ﾿ Challenges of  developing Abadaba Lake ﾿   46

Table 4.5 ﾿ Prospect of developing Abadaba Lake for Tourism ﾿   47

Table 4.6 ﾿ Actions needed to develop Abadaba ﾿ Lake ﾿   48 ﾿