Performance Assessment of Tourism Sector as a Vital Tool of Economic Growth in Nigeria

Abstract

Tourism over the years has proven to be a surprisingly strong and resilient economic activity and a fundamental contributor to economic growth of nations by generating billions of dollars in exports and creating millions of jobs. This paper theoretically appraises economic contribution of tourism sector to Nigerian economy alongside the constraints militating against the development of the sector. The trend analysis of tourism sector’s total contribution to Gross Domestic Product, employment generation and visitor exports fluctuated in the years reviewed. Poor funding, poor infrastructural facilities, insecurity and unfriendly business environment are among several impediments to the growth of the sector. The paper therefore recommends that more funding to the sector in addition to improvement in infrastructure and removal of multiple tax regime for hoteliers would be right strategies to enhance the repositioning of the sector as a vital tool for growth of the nation’s economy.