A review of tourism impact in Cross River State

Abstract

Impacts of tourism development have become more and more visible in the society, following the rapid growth of the tourism industry. This review is focused on the impacts and assessment procedures of tourism impacts on development in the context of sustainability in Cross River State. Although, it is commonly known that tourism can contribute significantly to economic growth, this is not without attendant negative impacts, particularly on the environment. River state tourism holds great potentials for socioeconomic development showcasing several fascinating tourism sites. However, poor budgetary allocation required to fund tourism activities and the development of the sector has impeded substantive progress. This is principally due in part to the ceding of the oil-rich Bakassi peninsular to Cameroon and later seventy-six oil wells to Akwa Ibom state. Other factors include: over taxation, security concerns, poor publicity, dilapidated facilities and infrastructure, inadequate involvement of private partners, poor motivation to locals and tourism workers, etc. Results of tourism impact assessment are veritable tools Environmental Impact Assessment, EIA which further helps developers identify possible growth patterns of the industry. The Tourism impacts on the citizenry model, TIC represents the simplest and direct approach to tourism impact assessment. Incorporation of extreme weather events are becoming important factors in tourism development.