Tourism-linked clusters in coastal economies: Tracing the footprint of arts, entertainment, and hospitality on fishing grounds in Nigeria

To ensure inclusive and sustainable growth, coastal economies must balance economic expansion with ecological resilience—particularly in tourism and hospitality sectors that directly depend on and impact marine ecosystems. This study investigates how the expansion of the arts, entertainment, and hospitality (AEH) industries influences the degradation of fishing grounds in Nigeria. Using data from 1981 to 2022 and the dynamic ARDL simulation model, it estimates both the long- and short-run impacts of AEH sectoral activities, marine-related economic outputs, foreign trade, and demographic shifts on fishing grounds footprint (FGC). The results show that marine-related and hospitality sectors worsen FGC, while the creative and entertainment industries reduce it, suggesting its role in eco-conscious tourism and cultural industries in marine conservation. Additionally, foreign trade increases pressure on marine resources, while demographic dynamics exert only transitory effects. These findings offer critical insights for aligning Nigeria’s blue economy ambitions with long-term ecological sustainability.