CULTURAL TOURISM AND ALUU COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN IKWERRE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, (LGA) RIVERS STATE

Abstract

This Study investigated the relationship between Cultural Tourism and Aluu Community Development in Ikwerre Local Government Area, (LGA) in Rivers State. The objectives of the Study were to determine relationship between Tradition and Belief and Aluu Community Development in Ikwerre LGA in Rivers State, evaluate the influence of Norms and Values on Aluu Community Development in Ikwerre LGA in Rivers State; ascertain the relationship between Lifestyle and Aluu Community Development in Ikwerre LGA in Rivers State. The Study adopted descriptive design to help in describing the different information concerning Cultural Tourism and Aluu Community Development. The population of the Study covered indigenes of Aluu Community. 185 respondence were drawn using Simple Random Sampling Technique. Face and Content Validity were employed to assess the relevance of the instrument; while; Cronbach Alpha Statistics was used to determine the reliability of the instrument. The dimensions of Cultural Tourism and Measures of Community Development were analyzed using Mean and Standard Deviation. The Hypotheses were tested using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences, (SPSS) version 22. The findings revealed that there were significant relationships between the dimensions of Cultural Tourism, (Traditional Belief, Norms and Values and Lifestyle) and Measures of Aluu Community Development., (Infrastructural Development and Revenue Generation). It was therefore, concluded that Aluu Community should preserve their Traditional and Cultural Activities to attract the attention of Tourists to the community. The presence of Tourists will attract Infrastructural and Community Development which will in turn influence the Lifestyle of the people of Aluu. We therefore, recommended that Aluu Community should not neglect their Norms and Values as these will motivate Tourists to get acquainted with the Community, thereby Aluu Community Development will be influenced.