Assessment of factors influencing visit and tourist influx in Old Oyo and okomu National Park Lodges, Nigeria

Abstract

This study aimed to determine socio-demographic characteristics of visitors, factors that influence visitors’ patronage, influx status of Nigerian and foreign visitors in Old Oyo and Okomu National Parks, Nigeria. Random sampling method was used to administer 512 copies of a questionnaire to visitors of the national parks and data was analyzed descriptively and inferentially. Majority of the respondents were males at Old Oyo (68.5%) and Okomu (62.8%) national parks, 45.6% and 37.6% had HND/BSC at Old Oyo and Okomu National Parks respectively. Also, highest percentage of the respondents at both parks earned less than ₦150, 000 (61.5% at Old Oyo and 65.7% at Okomu National Parks). Conducive environment (Mean: 4.26) and Attractiveness of the area (Mean: 3.80) were ranked as the highest factors  enhancing visit to Old Oyo and Okomu National Park lodges respectively. 15,365 Nigerian tourists and 34 foreign tourists have visited Okomu National Park while 13,021 Nigerian tourists and 319 foreign tourists have visited Okomu National Park for the period of 2009- 2018. Finally, there is no significant difference in the visitors’ influencing factors at Old Oyo and Okomu National Park lodges (P=0.120). Therefore, destination management should improve the maintenance of their facilities to meet the standard of visitors, both locally and internationally in order to attract more foreign visitors and improve foreign exchange