Entrepreneurial benefits of ecotourism corridor development in Ekiti State, Nigeria

This study examines how socioeconomic characteristics influence the benefits entrepreneurs derive from the ecotourism corridor in Ekiti State, Nigeria. While ecotourism is widely promoted as a driver of local economic development, little empirical evidence exists on which factors determine entrepreneurial gains. Primary data were collected from 100 entrepreneurs across Ikogosi, Ipole-Iloro, and Efon-Alaaye using structured questionnaires. Analyses with descriptive statistics, binary logistic regression, and chi-square tests assessed the effects of sales performance, income, education, occupation, age, and gender on reported business benefits. Findings show that improved sales, tertiary education, low income, and engagement in tourism-linked occupations significantly increase the likelihood of benefiting, with sales performance being the strongest predictor (β = 1.912, Exp (β) = 6.764, p = 0.001). Entrepreneurs combining tertiary education with strong sales, or low income with tourism-linked roles, captured the greatest gains, whereas age and gender had no significant effect. The study reveals that entrepreneurial success depends on the alignment of human capital, financial resources, and structural access to tourism flows. Policy interventions promoting capacity-building, microfinance access, and inclusion of non-tourism actors can enhance equitable benefit distribution. These findings advance ecotourism research by linking socioeconomic factors to measurable entrepreneurial outcomes from the ecotourism corridor in Ekiti State, Nigeria.