Sustainability of Tourism Infrastructure in Cross River National Park, Nigeria: Stakeholder Perspectives and Implications for Sustainable Ecotourism Development
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: This study examined the sustainability of tourism infrastructure in Cross River National Park, Nigeria, from stakeholder perspectives and considered its implications for sustainable ecotourism development. A quantitative survey design was adopted, and questionnaire data were obtained from 400 respondents comprising local community members, visitors, park staff, tour operators, non-governmental organisations and government agencies. Descriptive statistics and one-way analysis of variance were used for analysis. Findings revealed a moderate level of infrastructure sustainability, with a grand mean of 3.54. Waste management systems recorded the highest mean score (M = 3.88), followed by community participation (M = 3.75), while natural resource protection (M = 3.30) and maintenance of tourism facilities (M = 3.35) were the weakest indicators. The ANOVA result showed significant differences in stakeholder perceptions, F(5, 394) = 3.487, p = .005, eta squared = .042. The study contributes protected-area evidence on the infrastructure-conservation nexus and concludes that sustainable ecotourism requires strengthened maintenance, conservation education, stakeholder collaboration, eco-friendly technologies and accountable park governance.
Author: Imanyi, Victor
Institution: University of Calabar
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7166201908
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