Socio-spatial Implications of Sustainable Cultural Tourism in Ikwerre Local Government Area,Rivers State, Nigeria.

Cultural sustainability involves the preservation of cultural practices, beliefs, and heritage of a people and this sustainability, practices, beliefs, and heritage are preserved for the benefit of the present and future generations.The socio-economic and environmental aspects of sustainable development are enabled and driven by the conservation of the cultural and creative industries which can be encourage through cultural tourism.This study assessed the socio-spatial impact of sustainable cultural tourism in Ikwerre LGA, Rivers State, Nigeria.The study adopted the mixed method research approach where qualitative and quantitative data were collected concurrently from the study area.A sample size of 100 households was arrived at with the aid of Taro Yamane formula.Univariate summary statistic was used to extract and analysed data collected from the field through questionnaires administration, while content analysis and revalidation techniques was used to analysed data from key informants.The study revealed that the major cultural activities of the Ikwerre people are Egelege (Wrestling),Owhri (Dancing) , New Yam festival and the Masquerade festival.Also, the study showed that there are high accessibility, community integration and open spaces while there are low planned designated cultural centres, planned environment and infrastructural development.It is therefore recommended that to have a sustainable cultural tourism development, it requires all relevant stakeholders such as community leaders, local government authorities and planners to foster cultural tourism development through preservation of cultural heritages, policies and implementation and proper physical planning for rural communities.