Analysis of Tourist Motivations for Visiting Sukur Cultural Landscape in Adamawa State, North East Nigeria

This study analyses the motivations driving tourists to visit the Sukur Cultural Landscape, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State, North East Nigeria. Despite its global heritage status, Sukur remains relatively undervisited compared to international counterparts, and understanding visitor motivations is essential for designing effective promotion strategies. The study adopts a descriptive survey design with 110 visitors participating through structured questionnaires. A motivation framework incorporating push factors such as escape, cultural curiosity, and self-actualisation, as well as pull factors including heritage authenticity, landscape uniqueness, and site reputation, is applied. Findings reveal that cultural curiosity and the desire to experience a living UNESCO heritage site are the dominant push motivators, cited by 71 percent of respondents. The site's terraced iron-smelting landscapes and royal palace complex are identified as the most compelling pull factors. Access difficulties, including rough terrain and limited public transport, are cited by 67 percent as a deterrent to longer stays. The study recommends improved access route development, production of multilingual heritage guides, and digital content promotion of Sukur on official Nigerian tourism portals. Training of local community guides is also proposed to enhance interpretive quality and generate community income from tourism activities. Keywords: tourist motivation, UNESCO heritage site, Sukur, cultural tourism, Adamawa State