Promoting sustainable tourism through landscape architecture in developing countries: Case study of Nigeria

The benefits associated with recreation and tourism is widely acknowledged, which is especially the case when the effects on stress and the enhancing impact on well-being and productivity are considered. This is why society strives to facilitate places of recreation and tourism, some of which are natural and others man-made features commonly referred to as landscapes. Landscaping is generally used to engineer and boost tourism by many countries, as it adds to the natural beauty and scenery of the physical environment. However, tourism and recreation are often underdeveloped in many developing countries, particularly sub-Saharan Africa despite being endowed with rich natural and scenic landscapes. The paper reports findings from an on-going research on developing sustainable landscape and tourism in Nigeria. The research methodology employed in this study included relevant literature search, oral interviews and visits to selected tourist attractions and urban centers in Nigeria to ascertain the level of landscape development and attendant tourist infrastructures. The paper discusses the importance and value of landscape as a tourist attraction in the urban environment, and recommends ways in which landscaping can enhance the urban physical environment and boost tourism.