ABSTRACT

This study examined Climate Change and Outbound Tourist Destination Choice of Port Harcourt International Airport, River State, with a focus on environmental challenges such as air pollution, flooding, temperature rise, and climate change awareness. A survey research design was adopted, and data were collected from 214 distributed questionnaires, out of which 200 (93.46%) were fully completed and analyzed. Descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and regression analysis were employed to test the hypotheses. Findings revealed that air pollution, particularly black soot, significantly discourages tourists from visiting Port Harcourt, with a grand mean of 3.51 (SD = 0.70). Respondents strongly agreed that poor air quality reduces the aesthetic appeal of tourist sites and raises health concerns, although efforts to reduce air pollution (M = 3.72) would encourage more visits. Flooding and extreme weather were also identified as major barriers, recording a grand mean of 3.52 (SD = 0.68). Tourists agreed that flooded roads reduce accessibility (M = 3.62) and that improved flood management (M = 3.65) would boost tourism. Similarly, environmental concerns such as temperature rise and rainfall patterns had a negative effect on tourism flow, with a grand mean of 3.48 (SD = 0.71). Avoidance of the rainy season (M = 3.60) and reliance on weather forecasts (M = 3.55) were strongly emphasized. Tourists’ awareness of climate change also influenced their travel behavior, with a grand mean of 3.49 (SD = 0.69). Many agreed that climate change is a serious issue that should be considered in tourism planning (M = 3.70) and that eco-friendly destinations were more attractive (M = 3.60). Regression results further revealed that air pollution (β = 0.1977, p = 0.0228), flooding and extreme weather (β = 0.3203, p < 0.001), and environmental concerns (β = 0.1393, p = 0.0386) significantly influenced tourists’ destination choices, explaining 33.85% (R² = 0.3385) of the variation in travel decisions. However, tourists’ awareness of climate change did not have a statistically significant direct effect (p = 0.4353). The study concludes that climate change, especially air pollution and flooding, substantially influences tourists’ perception and choice of Port Harcourt as a travel destination. It recommends urgent environmental reforms, including improved flood management, pollution control, and promotion of sustainable tourism practices, to sustain and enhance Port Harcourt’s appeal.