SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION AND POTENTIALS OF ECOTOURISM RESOURCES IN KANO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examines the geospatial distribution of 51 major ecotourism
resources in Kano. The coordinates of the ecotourism resources were collected via the hand-
held Global Positioning System Garmin eTrex H and the data obtained were related to their
geographical locations and attributes. Data pertaining to the potential of ecotourism resources
were collected via a checklist, interviews and observations at each site and were analysed via
SPSS version 17.0. The results of the analyses indicate that the spatial pattern of ecotourism
resources is a dispersed pattern and that most ecotourism resources are very poor owing to
the locational characteristics of rural areas where limited infrastructure development has
occurred. The provision of adequate facilities through public-private partnerships at each
destination should be encouraged by incentivizing rural people to establish the facilities
needed for the promotion of ecotourism and the provision of adequate and qualitative road
networks that make a site more attractive.