IMPACT OF COVID - 19 PANDEMIC ON ECOTOURISM IN SOME NIGERIA NATIONAL PARKS.

Abstract

This research investigated the impact of covid-19 pandemic on ecotourism in some Nigerian National Parks. Two hundred and ninety-two (292) respondents were selected from the employees of the Parks and the Parks management. Proprietors of businesses linked to ecotourism were the subjects of purposive interviews. The gathered data underwent filtering, coding, and analysis through descriptive statistics, including mean, frequency, and percentage. The relationship between the socio-demographic and professional characteristics of park staff and their perceptions of the COVID-19 pandemic was analyzed using regression analysis. The findings revealed that 54.6% of the respondents were from Chad Basin National Park. Additionally, 49.8% were involved in Ecology and Resource Management (ERM), and significant majorities (81.2%) were male. Furthermore, 85.6% of the respondents were married, and 60.3% had obtained a tertiary education. In terms of experience, senior park inspectors represented 21.8% of the staff, while those with a total of ten years of service made up 12.7%. Individuals who have served for a decade in their current park accounted for 13.1%. Notably, 96.5% of the respondents were aware of COVID-19, with 71.2% citing social media as their primary source of information. The study concluded that the pandemic resulted in changes to health and sanitation protocols at ecotourism destinations. Additionally, the park could play a role in raising awareness about COVID-19 and associated safety concerns, which could help reduce the spread of misinformation about these sites. Further studies should be conducted to evaluate the state of ecotourism after the COVID-19 pandemic and potential tourists' awareness of the risks associated with traveling for ecotourism during COVID-19.