Moderating Role of Affective Destination Image on the Relationship between Tourists Satisfaction and Behavioural Intention: Evidence from Obudu Mountain Resort

The aim of this study is to ascertain the moderating effect that affective destination image has on the relationship between tourist satisfaction and behavioural intention in a mountain tourism destination: Obudu Mountain Resort. Using a sample of 217 tourists who were very much first-time visitors, structural equation modelling (SEM) and hierarchical multiple regression were used to perform the analysis. Our findings provide support for the entire hypothesis developed except for the direct relationship between cognitive image and behavioural intention. The result of the hierarchical multiple regressions revealed that affective destination image has a significant moderating effect on the relationship between tourist satisfaction and behavioural intention. Keywords: Cognitive image, Affective image, Tourists satisfaction, Behavioural intention, Mountain touris

Impact of Gurara Dam on Land Cover in the Surrounding Communities of Kaduna State, Nigeria

This research focuses on the impact of Gurara Dam on land cover in the surrounding communities of Kaduna state Nigeria. The aim of the study is to assess changes land cover condition in communities surrounding Gurara Dam as a result of the Dam construction. This was achieved by analysing the land cover changes between pre-dam (2000) and the post-dam (2013) in terms of spatial extent and percentage coverage.To assess the impact, Landsat (ETM, TM and MSS) covering the area for 2000 (pre-dam period) and 2013 (post-dam period) was obtained. To interpret and verify the accuracy of the satellite imagery; ground truth observation was conducted on the land cover of the study area. Using ArcGIS 10.0 and AutoCAD Map 2013 software, different image processing techniques and analysis were undertaken to produce land cover maps of the study area for pre-dam and post dam period. The extent of area coverage of each land use/land cover was calculated in hectares and express in percentages. The study discovers that in the post-dam period (between 2000 and 2013) the impact of Gurara dam has resulted in substantial changes in the land cover, with losses in fadama land. Forestry, arable land and Rock outcrop by 58%, 9%, 7%, and 12% respectively. Whereas gains occurred in bare land (26%), water bodies (42%), circulation (28%).  Modern irrigation also witnessed gain by 100% and built up area 26%. It is there recommended that, modern technology (Geographic Information System) be provided as mitigation measure to land cover problems in communities surrounding Gurara Dam. Keywords: Dam Construction, Geographic Information System, land cover, Upstream and Spatial Exten

Measuring hotels service quality in Nigeria: a case study of Minna Township

The hotel industry in Minna, Nigeria has experienced tremendous growth in numbers in recent times. Despite this growth, nothing seems to be known about the quality of services provided to customers by these hotels from the customers’ viewpoint. Thus, this study investigates the relationships between service quality, perceived value, customer satisfaction and behavioral intention in the hotel industry in the town of Minna, Nigeria. A structural equation modeling (SEM) approach was applied to test the proposed conceptual framework using data collected from 263 customers in eight 4-star hotels. The descriptive statistics result indicates that fairly appreciable quality services are rendered by the hotels and the structural model suggests that perceived value has a significant impact on the relationship between customer satisfaction and behavioral intention. The findings of this study provide implications for the operators of hotels in Minna to continue to improve services rendered so as to enhance customers’ satisfaction in order to gain their loyalty