Investigation of the Effect of Insecurity on Tourist Arrivals in North East Nigeria: A Study of Adamawa State

This study investigates the effect of insecurity on tourist arrivals in Adamawa State, North East Nigeria, a region endowed with natural attractions including the Mandara Mountains and Gotel Mountains range. Protracted insurgency and banditry in parts of the North East have severely disrupted tourism activity, and Adamawa State, though relatively more stable than some neighbouring states, has nonetheless experienced significant tourism decline. The study employs a descriptive survey design with 120 respondents including hotel operators, domestic tourists, and state tourism officials participating through questionnaires and interviews. Secondary data from Adamawa State Tourism Board annual reports covering 2020 to 2023 are also analysed. Findings indicate an 82 percent decline in recorded tourist arrivals between 2019 and 2022, with hotel operators reporting occupancy rates falling from an average of 65 percent to below 20 percent. Fear of travel, negative media coverage, and suspension of guided tours to rural attractions are identified as primary consequences of the security situation. The study recommends that tourism promotion in Adamawa be reframed around urban heritage and cultural tourism in Yola, supported by robust state-level security investments and targeted destination confidence campaigns. Collaboration with the Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation is proposed to facilitate an official safe tourism corridor designation for selected Adamawa sites. Keywords: insecurity, tourist arrivals, Adamawa State, North East Nigeria, destination recovery