Impact of Conservation Activities of Non-Governmental Organizations on Sustainable Tourism and Economic Growth in Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract

The quest for how best to preserve the natural resources of the planet Earth and how best they can be used environmentally, economically and socially for the benefit of man has become the centre of discussions on sustainable development world-wide. One concept which seems to achieve this is conservation for development, which if fully applied, can engender sustainable development. Thus, different initiatives have been evolved by concerned agencies on how environmental resources can be preserved for continuous use and benefit - in perpetuity. Such a sustainable use of resources can also boost the development of tourism and economic growth through provision of necessary ingredients for a viable and sustainable tourism industry. Here, we examine the efforts of some environment-related non-governmental organizations in conservation of flora and fauna resources and the impact of conservation efforts in tourism development and economic growth of Cross River State, Nigeria.

Keywords: Non-governmental organizations, conservation activity, fauna and flora, sustainable tourism, economic growth.