PERCEPTIONS ON BENEFITS OF ECOTOURISM DEVELOPMENT BY RESIDENTS OF FRINGE COMMUNITIES TO TWO NATIONAL PARKS IN WEST AFRICA

Abstract

Fringe communities in protected areas (national parks) are thought to benefit immensely from ecotourism development emanating from such facilities. This study sought to assess the perceived benefits of ecotourism development in nearby communities to two West African national parks namely: Kainji Lake National Park (KLNP) in Nigeria and Mole National Park (MNP) in Ghana. Stratified random sampling was used in selecting 10 households each in both countries. A total of 582 respondents were contacted through semi-structured questionnaires while key informant interviews including focus group discussions were used to obtain data on the direct, indirect and service benefits. Data analysed suggests that at KLNP, the provision of boreholes (45.7%) was the most cited direct benefit whereas 58.8% of respondents to communities adjacent MNP cited provision of health services. The indirect benefits revealed at KLNP were that residents had the opportunity to provide transport services to tourists, while at MNP, residents had an opportunity to display culture at a fee and sell arts and craft to visiting tourists. Service benefits unveiled in the study relate more of employment generation through ecotourism in both parks. A “needs assessment” survey of “flanking” communities is recommended as an appropriate measure to bridging the gap between what benefits the residents need and why such benefits should give the needed impetus to support conservation efforts in both parks.