Project Materials

IMPACT OF RAIL TRANSPORT DEVELOPMENT ON TOURISM PERFORMANCE IN NIGERIA.

Chapter one

Introduction.

In world of change, one constant in the past quarter of the twentieth century has been the persistent rise of tourism both as an activity and an industry (employment).

Leiper (2000:3) defined tourism as a whole spectrum of individuals, enterprises, organisations and placed which cooperate in some way to produce a travel experience.

Tourism is a multi dimensional multi-faceted activity which impacts many lives and many various economic activities that is, it may be used for the development of the concerned areas if appropriately utilised by both the government and commercial sectors.

Tourism can be considered as a circumstance in which the visitors engage with the hosts. This plainly suggests that tourism is the movement of individuals from their customary place of living to another (destination) for either enjoyment, recreation or other purpose.

The primary takeaway from the brief description of tourism above is that it involves the movement of people (transport) from their customary place of residence to another.

Also, the stay which deals with either leisure, enjoyment or recreation is obviously not related with any remunerated activity and for the desired outcome to be reached, it has to be above 24hours but less than a year.

However, in the process of tourists carrying out the numerous tourism activities, there is requirement for a moving conveyance which is transportation. Osinubi (2006:1) defined transportation as the transfer of people, goods, and services from one location to another.

The amount to which a location is accessible impacts the number of tourists who visit such attractions. A tourist destination must be exhilarating, exciting, and beautiful, as these are among the primary motivators for tourism activities.

1.1 Background of the Study

According to G. Ogunremi (2003). The ultimate goal of transportation is to benefit mankind. It is an essential component of every society’s economy, whether complex or simple, and both the production and distribution of goods at all levels rely significantly on transportation.

transit economists such as Bonavia, Norton, Sharp, and Healey regard transit as essential to any economy, which prompted the construction of rail roads in Nigeria during the pre-colonial and colonial periods.

According to Hugh Norton, transportation allows society to reap the benefits of resource specialisation and division of labour by allowing products to be transported long distances, removing the need for local production of necessities.

More crucially, the initial demand for transportation of objects stemmed from men’s desire for a diverse range of natural resources, which nature did not give in one location.

This supports Walsh Healey’s claim that “man, as a hunter and gatherer, carried himself to wherever there was a surplus to meet his needs.” To meet immediate future demands, he had to carry some with him (O. Omosini, “Background To Railway Policy in Nigeria, 1877-1901”)

By 1886, the British Colonial efforts and plans under Governor Macgregor and Edgerton were to extend the construction of a rail connection to the far reaches of Northern Nigeria (Akinjogbin, 2001:146).

The challenges surrounding the construction of Nigeria’s railway infrastructure through Port Harcourt were extensively stated by several authors, in keeping with the British goal of annexing lawful items in the hinterland.

Since 1912, rail building in Nigeria has been a major stimulant for the socioeconomic development of major towns in the country, with Port Harcourt and other villages in Kwara State benefiting greatly.

The construction of a train terminus in Port Harcourt enhanced economic activity in the city and surrounding areas by attracting a large number of visitors.

This study examines why it is vital to develop a policy to expedite the repair of existing train lines, namely the structures at the Port Harcourt terminus built by the colonial master for the benefit of the Port Harcourt residents and visitors.

It is important to consider Port Harcourt’s geographical location as a strategic point for white men during the railway construction period.