CORRELATE OF TOURISM MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN IKOT ABASI AND IBENO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS IN AKWA IBOM STATE.

This study explored the relationship between tourism management and community development correlation in Ikot Abasi and Ibeno Local Government Areas in Akwa Ibom State. Recently tourism has become a lucrative business, and a source of revenue generation, and improved socio-economic activities in Nigeria. Two research questions guided the study and two null hypotheses were formulated and tested at .05 level of significance. The study adopted correlation survey design. The population of the study was 480 Local Government Staff while the sample size was 380 Local Government Staff, representing eighty percent of the population selected, using cluster sampling technique. The instrument used in gathering data was a self-made Questionnaire, titled: tourism management as a correlate to community development questionnaire. The instrument was validated by three experts in the Department of Adult Education and Community development. The reliability of the instrument was determined using test re-test method, which resulted a reliability index of .83. Findings of the study revealed that as publicity platforms increase, community development also increases in the Local Government Areas in which the study was carried out; in addition, findings also indicated that there was a positive relationship between publicity platforms and Community development. The study concluded that tourism is an important source of revenue for local government councils in Nigeria. It was recommended that the government should develop and implement comprehensive policies that support sustainable tourism and prioritize community development.