HARNESSING TOURISM RESOURCES IN NIGERIAFOR ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION: PROSPECTS AND OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES

Nigeria is richly blessed with diverse resources of touristic value which can be harnessed for economic diversification; leading to the prosperity of the people. However, the country has continued to rely on oil resources, making it squabble as a mono-economy state; while her tourism potentials remain largely untapped and the resources thereof under-utilized. The prospects of economic prosperity when tourism resources are harnessed for economic diversification are quite enormous and largely supported by the literature. However, strategic implementation and operational management of the process pose a great challenge. The study found that these challenges are not insurmountable; and that unflinching commitment to the process by government and relevant stakeholders is sine-qua-non to achieving the objectives which may include job creation, poverty alleviation, improved standard of living, and increased foreign exchange earnings. Based on these, it was recommended that government should put policies in place that will open up the sector for investment by private investors; as a matter of urgency, the government should tackle the insecurity problem in the country because investors and tourists alike want to be in a friendly and safe environment; and that government should explore the option of public-private partnership in developing tourism infrastructure in all parts of the country where tourism potentials exist