TOURISM SUPPORT SERVICES, ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT IN UYO, NIGERIA: SPATIAL AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC EVIDENCE

Objective: This study examined how tourism support services contribute to environmental management and sustainable tourism development in Uyo Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Method: A cross-sectional survey design combined field observation, GPS-based mapping, questionnaires, interviews and documentary records on registered tourism support services, employment, patronage and tourism development levy remittance. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, GIS visualisation, Welch independent-samples t-test and one-way analysis of variance. Results: The study identified 156 registered tourism support services, dominated by hotels and guest houses (50%). The sector employed 744 workers, with unskilled staff representing 59.14% and females 60.75%. Total patronage reached 189,440 visits, while levy remittance amounted to N53.66 million. Implications: Support services strengthen urban tourism capacity, but weak tourism programming, taxation pressure, low patronage, training gaps and security concerns constrain sustainability. Contribution: The article reframes tourism support services as spatial, socio-economic and environmental management infrastructure for urban destination development.