The role of government in driving human capital development in the tourism industry in Nigeria: A case study of Cross River State

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to offer an opportunity to reflect on government-led initiatives for addressing human capital development (HCD) in Cross River State (CRS), the widely acknowledged number one tourism destination in Nigeria.

Design/methodology/approach

A descriptive case study of the CRS government’s initiative to build and consolidate the human capital base for an emerging tourism destination is presented.

Findings

The findings show that HCD initiatives emerged as a result of a public–private collaboration between CRS and the Citizens Development Corps (CDC).

Originality/value

Using a real-life example, this paper demonstrates how the government in an emerging nation can initiate positive policies to advance HCD in tourism.

Citation

Nwosu, B. and Onah, G. (2016), "The role of government in driving human capital development in the tourism industry in Nigeria: A case study of Cross River State", Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, Vol. 8 No. 2, pp. 221-234. https://doi.org/10.1108/WHATT-11-2015-0047