Analysis of Locational Accessibility and Security Implications of Tourists' Centres in Osun State

Abstract

Nigeria has begun to mainstream tourism into her poverty reduction strategies because of the realization of its pro-poor benefits. Part of the challenges is the accessibility to tourism sites with minimum security risks for both tourists and local residents. The security issues become more important because many African countries have weak, and embryonic tourism sectors with much of the investment management, and development emanating from private sector's initiatives. This study examines the locational accessibility of tourists' centres and implications on security issues in Osun State Nigeria. The study employs both primary and secondary data in carrying out the study, with primary data emanating from interviews from structured questionnaires from tourists at various tourism locations in the study area while secondary data involves records from Osun State Tourism Board on the rate of patronage of tourists to tourists' sites in the study area. Emanating from the study are the facts that six (6) out the sampled locations have good accessibility. According to the respondents, two (2) have fair accessibility while two (2) sites have poor locational accessibility. The study shows that there is significant impact of locational accessibility on frequency of patronage implying that locational accessibility of tourists' attractions is a function of frequency of patronage of the attractions. In addition, the study also shows that there is significant impact of safety on frequency of patronage indicating that the more secured tourists' attractions, the more frequency of patronage by visitors. It is, therefore recommended that there is need for unanimous decisions by stakeholders for the development and sustainability of the tourism industry in Osun State and Nigeria as a whole.