RECREATIONAL PARK DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT OF HOST COMMUNITIES IN PORT HARCOURT

RECREATIONAL PARK DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT OF HOST COMMUNITIES IN PORT HARCOURT  

ABSTRACT: This study investigated the effect of recreational park development and the economic empowerment of the host community. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey of quantitative research design. The study adopted the Freund and William sample size determination technique to determine a sample size of 323 respondents. Data was collected through a close-ended structural questionnaire to elicit and gather data. Descriptive statistics were used for this study. Pearson’s product-moment correlation (PPMC) was used for the bivariate analysis with SPSS version 21 statistical tool. The findings of this study showed that there is a strong positive relationship between Tourism Planning and Economic growth. The findings further proved that there is a significant relationship between Tourism Planning and improved standard of living of the host community. The study recommended that the Government need to replicate this product in other parts of the state. The government should maintain and upgrade the current facilities to meet international standards. Private-public partnerships should be encouraged in the development of tourism. Finally, friendly policies and low-interest loans should be made available to those interested in tourism development. 

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the study

Community development is a course of action where the community comes together to take collective action and generate solutions to common problems (Ciaio, Bona, Ribeiro, 2008). It is an expansive term given to the practices of civic leaders and its activities involved citizens and professionals to advance various aspects of communities, typically to build and empower in a social, economic, environmental, and political community. An empowered community is a developed community (Muyiwa, 2011). Economic community empowerment is a process where community members are gainfully engaged economically through various economic schemes and programs. Community empowerment refers to the process of enabling communities to increase control over their lives (Briedenhann & Wickens, 2004). According to the scholars “Communities” are groups of people that may or may not be spatially connected, but who share common interests, concerns, or identities. Community empowerment refers to the process by which people gain control over the factors and decisions that shape their lives (Ekechukwu, 1990, Okoli, 2001). It is the process by which they increase their assets and attributes and build capacities to gain access, partners, networks, and/or a voice, to gain control. “Economic empowerment” implies that people can “be empowered or enabled various means which positively impact the community economically (Laverack, 2008). It assumes that tourism facilities such as a recreational park are assets, and the role of the external agent is to facilitate or “accompany” the community in acquiring such empowerment or enablement.

Community empowerment, therefore, is more than the involvement, participation, or engagement of communities. It implies community ownership and action that explicitly aims at social and political change. Economic community empowerment is a process of re-negotiating the economic power of a community to gain more economic control. It recognizes that if some people are going to be empowered, then others will be sharing their existing power and giving some of it up (Baum, 2008). Economic Power is a central concept in community empowerment and health promotion invariably operates within the arena of a power struggle.

Community empowerment necessarily addresses the social, cultural, political, and economic determinants that underpin health, and seeks to build partnerships with other sectors in finding solutions.

Tourism is considered as one of the largest and fastest developing sectors of the world and its high growth and development rates, considerable volumes of foreign currency inflows, infrastructure development, and introduction of new management and educational experience actively affect various sectors of the economy, which positively affect the social and economic development of the country (Mirbabayev & Sagazatova, 2005). Recreational parks are tourism facilities capable of elevating the host communities economically. As an example, most highly developed western countries, such as Switzerland, Austria, and France have accumulated a big deal of their social and economic welfare on profits from tourism ((Mirbabayev & Sagazatova, 2005). These countries had put in place tourism structures like parks to cater to the relaxation needs of tourists and as such have benefited greatly from tourist expenditure. According to Mirbabayev & Sagazatova (2006), tourism provides about 10% of the world’s income and employs almost one out of a tenth of the world’s workforce. Port Harcourt Pleasure Park is one facility that has changed the fortune of its host community as many of the community members and others are been economically empowered and this singular act has reduced the level of criminality. Community development according to Cohen et al. (2007), Sakip, Akhir, and Omar (2015), as well as Anuar, Ahmad, Nasir, and Zainuddin (2016) is not complete if community members are not economically steady. Many empowerments come with having a park, these empowerments are geared towards gainfully engaging the host community members.

According to the Department of Town and Country Planning, USA, (2013), a recreational park in the country employed over one thousand workers in 2013 and was forecasted to employ more when other facilities are installed in the parks. Recreational facilities mainly in the parks need to meet the standard and the demand for recreational facilities. According to several researchers, such as Cohen et al. (2007), Sakip, Akhir, and Omar (2015), as well as Anuar, Ahmad, Nasir, and Zainuddin (2016), they all agreed that tourism attractions such as recreational parks can spark economic balance or development of their host communities and even beyond. Several recreation parks are abandoned due to the lack of facilities desired by visitors. A study conducted by Lindberg and Shipperijn (2015) found that several facilities failed to match the needs of the users. This is because the facilities provided do not meet the visitors’ expectations (Anuar & Muhaidar, 2018). Those who participate in outdoor recreation activities expect to achieve specific outcomes, and subsequently evaluate if their recreation experiences are met (Oliver & DeSarbo, 1988; Graefe & Burns, 2013). Visitors typically favor specific park locations, along with supporting facilities that best provide their preferred activities (Wolf, Wohlfart, Brown, & Lasa, 2015). These show that facilities in the park are a motivation to visit the park. Thus, studies on demand are essential to bridge the gap of knowledge about recreational facilities, particularly considering the empowerment of the host community. Studies on recreation park development are very limited as no literature has captured the case of Port Harcourt Pleasure Park and how it has improved or impacted on the economic state of the host community, hence, this study is to fill that gap in knowledge by providing empirical literature of recreational development and .how it empowers the host community.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Tourism has the potentials to develop communities and empower them to be economically independent. The challenge faced by tourism development in Nigeria and Rivers State to be précised is no other than the fact that policymakers are blinded by the boom of oil and have paid little or no attention to tourism development. Lack of tourism planning is another major challenge when it concerns tourism development and this is due to the neglect of tourism developmental blueprint. Furthermore, the host community attitude in Rivers state has not helped the course of tourism facility development as most communities in Rivers state are more interested in collecting bush entry fees and marching ground monies forgetting the benefits that come with some of these tourism facilities such as recreational parks. The cause of these negative attitudes is not far-fetched as the government of the day has not created any serious tourism campaign geared towards the enlightenment on the potentials and benefits accrued to siting a tourism site. One of the triggers of negative attitudes towards tourism development in many communities is the lack of inclusiveness of community leaders in the planning process. According to Fennel (2003), Community participation in the planning of any developmental program is critical and vital to actualizing such a program. Insecurity in the state is another challenge that has contributed to the underdevelopment of recreational parks across the state, as tourists are afraid. Another issue that has hampered the development of recreational sites in the state is the lack of synergy between the government and the private sector. This lack of synergy has resulted in inadequate funding in developing tourist centers across the state as some of the sites in the state such as the Port Harcourt zoo, Isaac Boro Park and Port Harcourt tourist beach are shadows of itself. There is a need to have a working relationship between the private sector and the government to actualize the destination needs of the state. The manifestations of the problems stated above are that, communities are denied the opportunity and economic windfall that comes with citing a tourist facility as a recreational park. It is given these problems and challenges that this study tends to critically evaluate the development of recreational parks with the dimensions adapted from the works of Andereck, K. & Vogt, C. (2000) and how it enhances economic empowerment of host community (Rumuola) which is measured by employment generation, increase in the standard of living, income generation, and infrastructural development as adopted from Ashley, C. (2000)

1.3 Conceptual Framework

The major variables of this study were recreational park development (independent variable) and economic community empowerment (dependent variable). The focus of this study was on community empowerment through recreational park development. The researcher operationalized recreational park development in terms of planning and host community attitude. Economic community empowerment was measured in terms of employment generation, improved standard of living, income generation, and infrastructural growth. For the sake of convenience, the researcher limited the study to five variables taking into consideration that both the independent and dependent variables can be operationalized with more variables.

1.4 Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of recreational park development on economic community empowerment. The specific objectives set were to;

1. Examine the effect of recreational park development on employment generation
2. Examine the effect of recreational park development on the improved standard of living
3. Ascertain the relationship between recreational park development and income generation
4. Ascertain the relationship between recreational park development and infrastructural facilities

1.5 Research Questions                     

The following research questions shall guide the study

1. How does Tourism Planning influence employment generation for the Rumuola community?
2. How does Tourism Planning affect the improved standard of living for the Rumuola community?
3. How does tourism planning influence the Improved Standard of living of the Rumuola community?
4. How does Tourism planning influence infrastructural facilities in the Rumuola community?

1.6 Research Hypotheses

The following null hypothetical statement is made in an attempt to answer the research questions

Ho_1: There is no significant relationship between Tourism Planning and employment generation for Rumuola community

H0₂: There is no significant relationship between Tourism Planning and an improved standard of living for the Rumuola community?

H0_3: There is no significant relationship between tourism planning and improved standard of living of Rumuola community

H0₄: There is no significant relationship between tourism planning and infrastructural facilities in Rumuola community

1.7 Significance of the study

The findings of this study will provide useful information and some insight that will be gained that will help government and destination developers to have a better understanding on how to develop tourist destination facilities to provide services that will instigate positively engage the host communities and also avoid the bottlenecks associated with developing a site in any community which will lead to project acceptance. To host communities, this study will expose them to the benefits of having tourism infrastructures in their community and also educate them to be tourist-friendly as this will encourage tourist investors to consider investing in their communities. And to scholars, this study will give them tested information for further study.

1.8 Scope of the Study

The scope of this study is at three levels;

Content scope: These are the variables that are studied (recreation park development and economic empowerment of host communities).

Secondly the geographical scope: which covered Port Harcourt Pleasure Park.

Third the unit of analysis: which covered Rivers state tourism board and managers of PPP.

1.9 Definition of Terms

The following terms used in the study are defined for a proper understanding of the vocabularies in the study

Community: A group of people living in a particular place or having particular characteristics in common

Economic Empowerment: the ability to make and act on decisions that involve the control over allocation and financial resources

Planning: the process of making arrangements or deciding for in advance

Recreation: an activity of leisure

1.10 Organization of the Study

This study was organized into five chapters,

Chapter one is used to discuss the introduction, which covers the background to the study, statement of the problem, research purpose, research problems, and statement of hypothesis, significance, and scope of the study. The contextual definition of some terms used in the study is provided and the chapter ends with the organization of the study and references. Chapter two, the contribution of different authorities will be reviewed under the following sub-heading, theoretical and conceptual framework, dimensions, and measures to the independent and dependable variables. Chapter three will discuss the methodology adopted in the study, these include research design, the population of sampling procedure, research instrument/administration, source(s) of data, the validity of instrument and data analysis technique.

In chapter four, Data will be presented and analyzed and the hypothesis earlier stated in chapter one will also be tested. In chapter five the researcher presented a summary, conclusion, and recommendations of the work and area of interest to further enrich the studies will be outlined.