Residents’ Perception on Local Participation in Eco-Tourism: A Study of Ikogosi Warm and Cold Spring Holiday Resort

Ecotourism bridges conservation and development, with meaningful local participation as a cornerstone of sustainability. This study explored Ikogosi Warm Spring residents’ perceptions of their roles in decision making, stakeholder collaboration, policy formulation, and revenue sharing. Drawing on political ecology, we examined power dynamics and resource conflicts, while community‐conservation approaches highlighted the need to move from fortress conservation to integrated development models. A questionnaire survey of 100 randomly selected community members revealed that most residents feel excluded from collaborative efforts and decision processes related to ecotourism management. Commonly cited barriers included disputes among local actors, unfair distribution of benefits, restricted resource access, and limited control over communal assets. Statistical analyses confirmed that perceptions of poor participation and ineffective collaboration are closely linked, and that the challenges themselves vary in perceived importance. Overall, the findings indicate that community involvement is largely symbolic rather than substantive. To achieve sustainable ecotourism at Ikogosi, stakeholders must establish genuine co‐management structures that empower residents, resolve conflicts, and ensure equitable sharing of ecological and economic benefits.