The Challenges and Significance of Cultural Heritage on the Sustainable Development of Tourism Industry in Ado Ekiti Nigeria

The study the challenge and significance of cultural heritage on the sustainable development of tourism industry in Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria. Four (4) objectives were raised and literature of other researchers were reviewed. The study adopted the descriptive survey research design and the instrument for data collection was a questionnaire; it was built around the research question by the researcher and validated by the researcher’s supervisor. The questionnaire was structured according to the research questions and distributed to sample population of 100 respondents drawn from tourist attraction centres in Ekiti State. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics by means of frequency count, percentage, Mean and standard Deviation. The findings of the study revealed that cultural heritage is significant in the development of the tourism industry as it helps raise awareness of a region’s traditions and history and plays a crucial role in attracting tourists to a destination. The influx of tourists often leads to the degradation of cultural heritage sites and balancing the economic benefits of tourism with the preservation of cultural heritage are challenges faced in preserving cultural heritage in Ekiti State. Tourism industry promote sustainable practices to protect cultural heritage sites and traditions as local communities are involved in decision-making processes regarding the preservation of their cultural heritage within the tourism industry. It was recommended that local communities should be actively involved in the tourism planning and decision-making processes. Engaging them ensures that tourism development aligns with local cultural values, creating a sense of ownership and responsibility for heritage preservation. Also, the Nigerian government, local authorities, and private sector stakeholders should collaborate to secure funding for the conservation and sustainable development of cultural heritage sites