Eco-Tourism Will Increase the Incomes of Millions of Nigerians
Another of the areas of tourism that is doing particularly well in Nigeria at the moment is eco-tourism. The Yankari Game Reserve in south-central Bauchi State can draw over twenty thousand visitors from a hundred different countries within the space of a single year and is regarded as being one of the world’s most tourist friendly nature reserves. Foreign tourists are attracted to the idea that they are witnessing conservation in action and enjoy marvelling at rare wild animals that they would not find in their home countries.
Photos from Lekki Conservation Park in Lekki, Lagos State.
Eco-tourism has an advantage over conventional tourism in that a larger percentage of the money that is generated goes to the Nigerian people. Regular, all-inclusive package tours usually deliver around a fifth of revenues to local companies, whereas Nigerian-based eco-tourism operations that hire workers locally pump up to ninety-five percent of the money that is generated back into the local economy.
Photos from Finima Nature Park on Bonny Island in Rivers State.
The country has everything from wildlife and breathtaking scenery to one of the world’s best film industries so it is high time that it became a hub for foreign visitors. Perhaps this could be the boost to Nigeria’s economy that will alleviate the poverty that grips some of the nation.
~ Laura Chapman
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