PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE USE OF RIVERS FOR TOURISM AND RECREATION IN NIGERIA

In view of the sudden increase in tourism and recreation activities in Nigeria in recent years, there is low sensitisation and awareness creation on the urgent needs to promote sustainable use of rivers as natural tourism havens. To tackle this phenomenon, the qualitative paper examined the issue of sustainable use of rivers for tourism and recreation purposes.It attempts a categorization of tourism resources and a review of the concepts of tourism, recreation,ecotourism and tourist destinations within the framework of sustainable use of rivers in Nigeria. Furthermore, it highlights the various ways by which rivers can used for recreation and provide attractions to tourists. It also identified some misuses of rivers such as dumping, sand dredging from river beds, domestic and industrial pollution as factors militating against sustainable use of rivers for tourism and recreation. The paper proposes environmental education of both tourists and residents on the need for sustainable use of rivers.