ASSESSMENT ON THE IMPACT OF SPORTS AND TOURISM ON NIGERIA ECONOMIC GROWTH

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study 

The initial connections between sport and tourism were established in the early to mid-19th century A.D., with English competitive sports serving as a fundamental component of contemporary western sports, alongside German exercises and Swedish gymnastics. Tourism is a fundamental feature of sport, and sport is a vital activity within tourism (Hinch & Higham, 2021). Glasson, Godfrey, and Godfrey (2019) observed that tourism has been contended to be the world's largest industry, contributing approximately 5.5% of the global Gross National Product and 6% of employment. Tourism is a trillion-dollar industry. Sport has emerged as a dominant and defining force in the lives of millions of individuals worldwide, and it is a multi-billion-dollar industry (Martin, 2017). Sports and tourism are socio-cultural events and experiences that are distinct but interrelated within a society. There was an initial association between sports and tourism in 1827. Nevertheless, the validity of this association with a specific year is a matter of debate. The emergence of alpine winter sports in the nineteenth century is where Pigeassou et al. (2018) identified the connection between tourism and sport. However, they postulate that the sport tourism domain has only been autonomous since the 1950s. Standeven and De Knop (2019) also stated that the origins of sport tourism can be traced back to the ancient Greeks. Sport tourism was defined by Weed and Bull (2019) as a social, economic, and cultural phenomenon that emerged from the distinctive interaction of people, place, and activity. Sport tourism is a rapidly expanding and significant sector of the travel and tourism industry, and it is currently obtaining increased attention due to its potential for economic, environmental, and social development (Standeven and De Knop 2019). It is widely recognised that major sporting events have a substantial impact on the economic development and tourist traffic of the city or region in which they are held (Higham, 2016, Turco et al., 2023). Sport tourism is an essential element of the marketing mix for visitor destinations. Gibson (2018) defined sport tourism as leisure-based travel that involves the observation, participation in physical activities, or admiration of attractions associated with physical activities for the purpose of removing individuals from their usual environment. Nigeria has a significant advantage in the exploration and exploitation of sports tourism to enhance its hospitality industry, given the returns from sports tourism in other countries. For example, the 2014 World Cup in Brazil contributed 7.5 billion Brazilian Real (BRL) to the country's economy, with tourism being a significant factor. An estimated 1 million foreign visitors visited the country, and 95% of them expressed a desire to return for future vacations. According to the Wall Street Journal, Brazil's expansive Amazon rainforest, lively musical tradition, and picturesque beaches are among the factors that contribute to this phenomenon. In contrast, Germany accommodated 2 million visitors and South Africa welcomed 310,000 tourists during previous world cups. These figures merely demonstrate the significant impact that sports and tourism can have on the expansion of Nigeria's hospitality industry and the overall economy. 

A revenue generator is one of the many ways in which sports and tourism can contribute to the development of Nigeria. To put it simply, the economic benefits are substantial. During a sporting event, the hospitality sector generates a substantial portion of the revenue. It is evident that travellers will be inclined to visit and exchange their naira, dollars, and pounds if the government establishes these destinations. A geometric increase in hotel bookings and revenues is the result of the production of mementos and other marketing and promotional items. Another method by which sports can contribute to the development of Nigeria is through publicity. These sports tournaments provide hotels and hospitality companies with the opportunity to showcase their brand to their target audience. They are capable of creating jingles, commercials, and other public relations tools that frequently have a significant impact on patronage and perception. Finally, the near-disintegrating state of Nigeria's tourism sites has been the focal point of stakeholder meetings and tourism seminars. They have urged the government at both the federal and state levels to revitalise these remarkable sites, which are located throughout Nigeria. The hospitality sector will experience a cascading effect as a result of the budget allocation to develop these destinations in order to attract tourists, as Nigeria is about to host a sporting event.

1.2 Statement of the Problem 

Different researchers have conducted a variety of investigations on the impact of sport tourism. These studies have identified and classified the economic impact of sport tourism to include the provision of temporary and permanent jobs, the increase in cash flow in the community within and sometimes beyond the period of the event, the improvement of the standard of living, the attraction of new investments to the host community, and the incentive of local entrepreneurship (Standeven and De Knop 2019). Some of the social benefits of sport tourism events that have been documented in the literature include a sense of pride, entertainment, family and community cohesion, self-actualization, and the provision or development of infrastructural facilities. The provision of incentives for the conservation of natural resources and the provision/maintenance of infrastructures such as recreational parks, sporting facilities, car parks, and roads are among the environmental benefits that have been identified in previous studies (Pigeassou et al. 2018). Nevertheless, these advantages have not been without their expenses. Sport tourism has been identified as having negative effects on a host nation, including the forceful relocation of residents to accommodate tourists, crowding, hooliganism, crime, consumption of hard drugs, disruptions of the normal life of the local people, increased rents, and tax rates, as evidenced by previous studies. A prime illustration of this phenomenon is the Sydney 2000 Olympics, which resulted in a drastic increase in the cost of living upon its announcement as the host city. Additionally, the environmental consequences of sport tourism may be detrimental, including the clearing of trees, the construction of ski cabins, which leads to an increase in waste and carbon emissions, traffic congestion, the accumulation of construction sites, noise pollution, light pollution, and overcrowding (Turco et al., 2023). Nevertheless, these prior studies have employed massive sport tourism events, such as the FIFA World Cup and the Olympics, to investigate the influence of sport tourism events on the host nation, hence the essence of this study, to ascertain the impact of sports and tourism on Nigeria economic growth.

1.3 Objective of the study

The overall aim of this study is to critically examine the impact of sports and tourism on Nigeria economic growth. Hence, the study will be channeled to the following specific objectives;

Determine the extent sport events and activities promote tourism in Nigeria.

Determine whether there is a significant relationship between sports and tourism, and economic growth in Nigeria.

Evaluate the impact of sport and tourism on infrastructure development in Nigerian

Evaluate the impact of sport and tourism on unemployement and standard of living in Nigeria.

1.4 Research Questions

The study will be guided by the following questions;

What is the extent sport events and activities promote tourism in Nigeria?

Is there is a significant relationship between sports and tourism, and economic growth in Nigeria?

What is the impact of sport and tourism on infrastructure development in Nigeria?

What is the impact of sport and tourism on unemployement and standard of living in Nigeria?

1.5 Research Hypothesis

Ho: There is no significant relationship between sports and tourism, and economic growth in Nigeria.

Ha: There is a significant relationship between sports and tourism, and economic growth in Nigeria.

1.6 Significance of the study

This research work would benefit the government, entrepreneurs and the youth of Nigeria about the importance of sports and tourism on the national development of our nation and it would give more insight on how to achieve more success in the area of sports and tourism by actively engaging the youths.

1.7 Scope Of The Study

The scope of this study boarders on the impact of sports and tourism on Nigeria economic growth. Hence, the study will be delimited to selected tourism center in Lagos state.

1.8 Limitation Of The Study

Like in every human endeavour, the researcher encountered slight constraints while carrying out the study. Insufficient funds tend to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature, or information and in the process of data collection, which is why the researcher resorted to a limited choice of sample size. More so, the researcher simultaneously engaged in this study with other academic work. As a result, the amount of time spent on research will be reduced.

Moreover, the case study method utilized in the study posed some challenges to the investigator including the possibility of biases and poor judgment of issues. However, the investigator relied on respect for the general principles of procedures, justice, fairness, objectivity in observation and recording, and weighing of evidence to overcome the challenges.

1.9 Definition Of Terms

Development: the act or process of growing or causing something to grow or become larger or more advanced 

Sport: an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, etc. 

Tourism: the commercial organization and operation of vacations and visits to places of interest.

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