Anthropology of tourism in Nigeria: implication for social studies education

Bisina Augustine¹ and John Philip Henah²

¹Social Studies, Department of Educational Psychology and Curriculum Studies, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria

²Department of Geography and Regional Planning, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria

*Corresponding author Email: austen.ng@gmail.com, 

Tel: +234802-746-4665

Accepted 14 February, 2013

Abstract

Local and international tourist in Nigeria often experience a range of diverse human and natural settings, which they are often unable to understand or explain and Social-cultural anthropologist have tried to provide explanations to the diverse human and natural experiences of the tourist through the anthropological study of tourism but a framework for the proper understanding of the diverse human and natural experiences is a fundamental aspect of culture that has been ignored by Social Studies educators in Nigeria. The growing anthropological interest in tourism have not been very concerned  with disciplinary boundaries, Yet, little work has been done, if any at all on the relationship between education and tourism in Nigeria. Social Studies Education in particular draws noticeable attention to particular cultural practices and sites in Nigeria and some of these sites and practices are classified as national heritage. Through a careful study of the tourism industry in Nigeria through desk review, the questions this paper tries to answer are; issues about Nigeria society that will compel or deter people to favour sightseeing in large groups and how social studies education can help people to have a better understanding of these conditions.  Although most of the Nigerian elites and political class spend holidays in Europe and America, they have no interest to visit tourism sites in Nigeria. Therefore this paper also x-rays the challenges to tourism in Nigeria and the social and economic benefits that can be derived from the huge tourism potentials in Nigeria.

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Keywords: Anthropology, Tourism, Tourism Development, Social Studies Education, Nigeria.