GASPRO International Journal of Eminent Scholars

ABSTRACT
The study was on entrepreneurship development and transformation of tourism in Nigeria. Three purpose and three research questions were raised for the study. Correlation research design was adopted in this study. The study was conducted in Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Akwa Ibom State. the population was 202 staff. A total of 80 staff was the sample size for the study, representing 39.6 percent of the population. A simple random sampling technique was used to select the respondents. The instrument for data collection was structured questionnaire with 15 items on a 4-point rating scale. The statistical tool to be employed to answer research questions was Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation (PPMC). The findings revealed that there is a high positive relationship between, identifying business opportunity, selection of business opportunities, business analysis and transformation of tourism in Nigeria. It was recommended among other things that the government through ministry of culture and tourism should establish a tourism entrepreneurial development centre. The centre should be charged with the responsibilities of doing research and identifying tourism business opportunities and act as “one stop shop” in order to disseminate information to potential entrepreneurs in tourism.
KEYWORDS: Entrepreneurial Development, Transformation, Tourism