Factors Influencing Financial Institutions’ Participation in Tourism Project: Case of Lagos Street Carnival.

Abstract

Tourism market is one of the vibrant non-financial sectors in Nigeria, which is challenged by non-availability of financial resources from the banking sector - one of the components of the financial system. To this extent, this paper helps to examine factors that influence financial institutions’ participation in tourism project; case of Lagos street carnival. For financial institutions to participate successfully in tourism project, it requires financial support from financial institutions (banks) to showcase, promote, uplift and to financially-support the nourished culture, norms and values the people cherish; and to ensure that the beliefs of the people are not eroded by foreign culture and above all, to stimulate the economy. The primary source of data is adopted via structured questionnaire. Statistically, the estimated parameter are mean, standard deviation, and standard error (ẟ√N). The responses of the respondents gathered via the questionnaire was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The result shows that 56.1% of the variation of factors influencing financial institutions participation in tourism, particularly Lagos street carnival; with most of social -people participating in different tourism –related festivals (e.g. eyo, igunuko etc.), which has led to the sustainability and promotion of the societal belief. F-Statistics (4.56) is high and the (P<0.05) which all together indicates that overall impact of the independent variables on the dependent variable is statistically significant Also financial institutions’ participation has helped to provide funds to further create awareness about the traditions, beliefs and values of Lagos indigenes, who are otherwise known as Lagosians. The study recommends that policymakers should invest immensely in tourism industry in order to enrich the socio-economic and geographical life patterns of the people in the coast area via the support of financial institutions by way of channelling funds to the tourism sub-sector in order to prevent cultural extinction. Also, government should establish institutions (ministries, departments and agencies) to strengthen and defend acquired tourism trade rights in Nigeria.