ASSESSMENT OF TOURISM POTENTIALS IN EKITI STATE, NIGERIA: A STUDY OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND CULTURAL HERITAGE

This study is on the assessment of tourism potentials in Ekiti State. The specific objectives of this study are to assess the role of community engagement in sustainable tourism development and identify strategies for mitigating environmental degradation in Ekiti State’s tourism industry. The descriptive study was selected for this research as it facilitated the exploration of primary data derived from the responses from participants by using a structured survey questionnaire. The study population consisted of 150 respondents, carefully selected to represent a diverse group of individuals connected to the tourism sector. Spearman’s ranking correlation coefficient was used in this study. The technique was used because; the data analyzed was a quantitative one and quantitative data is data that can take exact numerical values, adequate sample size at least 10, one or more category, independent observation, data presented in frequency form, and all the observations were used. The findings reveal that the active engagement of community members is essential to fostering a sense of ownership and ensuring that tourism initiatives align with the values, culture, and needs of the local population, among others. The study concludes that Ekiti State possesses extraordinary tourism potential, thanks to its unique combination of cultural heritage, scenic landscapes, and historical landmarks