A Comparative Study on the Need for Effective Policies as a Panacea for Sustainable Hospitality and Tourism Industry

Chapter One of A Comparative Study on the Need for Effective Policies as a Panacea for Sustainable Hospitality and Tourism Industry

 

Abstract of A Comparative Study on the Need for Effective Policies as a Panacea for Sustainable Hospitality and Tourism Industry

Managing sustainable tourism is recognized as an important aspect of tourism planning, is now receiving even greater attention. In managing sustainable tourism therefore, the adoption of planning and management techniques and process in developing sustainable goals and objectives is very paramount. This was what motivated the researcher to investigate a comparative study on the need for effective policies as a panacea for sustainable hospitality and tourism industry. The followings are the objectives of the study: to survey the prevalence of effective policies as a panacea for sustainable hospitality and tourism industry in the country, to inquire the impact of effective policies on the development of the hospitality and tourism industry in Nigeria and to analyze efforts taken by the government to ensure effective policies for sustainable hospitality and tourism industry in the country.

INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

Tourism and hospitality industry is increasingly gaining dominance in the socioeconomic development literature as a recognized tool for achieving sustainable development especially in developing countries. Its potential to contribute to sustainable development was emphasized during the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development by launching the ‘Sustainable Tourism –Eliminating Poverty (ST–EP)’. Economic and social development has been the driving force contributing to the growth of tourism, especially in developing countries like Nigeria. The United Nations Development Programme identifies tourism as a powerful engine for accelerating socio-economic development and safeguarding biodiversity and cultural heritage in developing countries. Moreover, Gossling et al. observe that the use of tourism as a means of achieving sustainable development has been the major focus of several development agencies, including Department for International Development, World Tourism Organization (WTO), the United Nations World Tourism Organization, World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. The need for policies as a panacea for sustainable hospitality and tourism industry cannot be over emphasized.

        Tourism policy/planning therefore is a process aimed to optimize the benefits of tourism so that the result is a balance of the appropriate quality and quantity of supply with the proper level of demand without compromising neither the trade’s socio economic and environmental development nor its sustainability (Geddner and Ritchie, 2006). Planning is important in tourism for a wide range of reasons. First, through the capacity of physical planning process to control development, it provides a mechanism for a structured provision of tourist facilities and associated infrastructure. The geographic dimension has become a more significant aspect of tourism as most forms of tourism planning were realized and site specific. Edgell (2006) reflecting thereafter limited horizons that originally characterized most pattern of tourism (Hall, 2000), but as the spatial range of tourists has become more extensive, the mobility levels have increased, planning systems that are capable of coordinating development over regional, national and even international spaces have become more necessary.

In terms of socio-economic development, tourism is considered to be one of the most significant phenomena over the years. Consequently, tourism recorded an unprecedented growth globally over the past half century and it is considered one of the world’s largest industries. Multi-national organizations, donor agencies and non-governmental organisations have long identified tourism as a sector which could effectively promote economic and human development by contributing to sustainable development. However, the literatures on tourism suggest that tourism activities can be damaging not only to the natural environment but social and cultural characteristics of a community. For instance, Stronza and Gordillo argue that tourism is infamous for its potential to cause damage to natural habitats and local communities. Moreover, the tourism industry has a general tendency to cause negative environmental and socio-cultural impacts such as water and air pollution, loss of cultural values and infiltration of foreign culture. The study explores a comparative study on the need for effective policies as a panacea for sustainable hospitality and tourism industry.

Statement of the Problem

There is increasing consensus that all tourism stakeholders play a role towards achieving sustainability. This includes tourism accommodation facilities which may contribute by responding positively to sustainability issues. This study explores a comparative study on the need for effective policies as a panacea for sustainable hospitality and tourism industry. The complexity of tourism accommodation facilities development requires examination of these sustainability issues from a variety of perspectives. In addition, the principle of sustainable resort and hotel development appear to have been established by developed countries without considering the conditions in the developing countries. Most of the research and guidelines fail to provide a conceptual instrument for plan and strategy formulation to achieve sustainable resort and hotel development in those countries.

Research Questions

These are some of the questions the study is designed to answer:

i)             What is the prevalence of effective policies as a panacea for sustainable hospitality and tourism industry in the country?

ii)           What is the impact of effective policies on the development of the hospitality and tourism industry in Nigeria?

iii)         What are the efforts taken by the government to ensure effective policies for sustainable hospitality and tourism industry in the country?

Objectives of the Study

The objective of the study is to examine a comparative study on the need for effective policies as a panacea for sustainable hospitality and tourism industry and the specific objective are:

i)             to survey the prevalence of effective policies as a panacea for sustainable hospitality and tourism industry in the country

ii)           to inquire the impact of effective policies on the development of the hospitality and tourism industry in Nigeria

iii)         to analyze efforts taken by the government to ensure effective policies for sustainable hospitality and tourism industry in the country

Significance of the Study

The significance of the study is based on the fact that if findings of the researcher are well implemented, it will facilitate and improve the development of tourism. It is hoped that this study would answer some questions of what impacts religion have on hospitality and tourism industry. The study will also arouse researchers investigate ways of improving religion Tourism.

Scope of the Study

The scope of this study is limited only to Nigeria so that more in depth information could be obtained to propose proper recommendations to the Government for improvement and development of tourism and hospitality industry in the country.

Limitation of the study

The research work faced a lot of challenges but two of the challenges were memorable. One of it is the time constraint which limited the areas covered by the researcher. Another one was that the researcher encountered a lot of difficulties in gathering information from many hospitality and tourist centres in the country.

Definitions of Terms

The following terms were used in the course of this study:

Hospitality: the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers.

Panacea: an answer or solution for all problems or difficulties

Policies: a course or principle of action adopted or proposed by a government, party, business, or individual.

Sustainable: pertaining to a system that maintains its own viability by usingtechniques that allow for continual reuse

Tourism: is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours.