Developing a Web-Based GIS for Tourist Attractions and Cultural Heritage in Oyo Town, Nigeria

Abstract

This research focused on developing a web-based GIS for tourist attractions and cultural heritage in Oyo town, Oyo state, Nigeria. The study considered the present situation of tourism in the study area as it seems almost dead due to the lack of awareness programmes to push the state's tourism to the world market. Before tourism can be well-accepted by all and sundry, understanding the locations of the various tourist attractions need to be made known. The town lacks an up-to-date tourist guide map, including the non-availability of digital information for tourism. The study aimed at developing a web-based Geographic Information System (GIS) for tourist attractions and cultural heritage in Oyo town. The methodology involved database design and creation, satellite image georeferencing and onscreen digitizing in ArcGIS 10.8, spatial analysis, and publishing of a web map in ArcGIS online. Products generated included tourist maps, digital road network maps, and other thematic maps showing hotels, restaurants, markets, and police stations. The paper recommended that government should properly document all the tourist sites in Oyo town, develop a functional tourism database using GIS technology to better enhance the tourist experience, and that detailed information about tourism activities should be easily made available and accessible from the tourism database.