The Impact of Socio-Economic Characteristics on Maritime Tourism Development in Nigeria

This study aimed to investigate the influence of Nigerians' socio-economic characteristics on the maritime tourism development in sector. A cross-sectional research design was adopted, with a population sample of 39,085,106, determined using the Taro Yamane formula. A sample size of 400 was selected, and 400 questionnaires were administered, with 372 returned and used for analysis. Descriptive statistics were employed for the research questions, while Linear Regression in the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22 was used to test hypotheses one to five. The findings indicated that the socio-economic characteristics significantly impact the sector, leading to a low level of patronage. The study concluded that the coastal states possess a variety of landscapes with rich maritime tradition and heritage, making maritime tourism a vital sector that requires immediate attention for increased government revenue, investment opportunities, and employment generation. Recommendations includes; enhancing the status of maritime tourism facilities is essential to align the Nigerian tourism industry with international regulations and best practices, thereby facilitating its growth and development, maritime tourism industry requires increased publicity and awareness campaigns to showcase its benefits, opportunities, and potentials effectively and making aggressive marketing strategy is necessary to unlock the full potential for growth in maritime tourism.