CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Tourism has developed into one of the fastest-growing segments of the world’s economy and is also a factor that helps in the process of socio-cultural and economic development. Tourism in Nigeria is responsible for creating employment opportunities, maintaining culture, and generating income through activities like beaches, museums, festivals, wildlife parks, and historical places. Adolescents are considered an important part of the tourists because they are becoming active participants in activities like family tourism, educational tourism, religious tourism, and recreational tourism. However, their tourism preferences depend on family influences in a developing country like Nigeria..

Influence of Family refers to the power of parents, siblings, caretakers, and relatives to influence the attitudes, values, and decision-making processes of adolescents. Adolescent decision-making is normally not an individual process since the adolescent needs family advice in relation to finances, safety, and social recognition. In tourism decisions, the family influences the choice of destinations, budget, accommodations, modes of transportation, and leisure activities. The research reveals that family members play a significant role in the process of tourism decision making, particularly in the case of youth and children (Rojas-de-Gracia, 2025). In Nigeria, family structure and cultural norms play a significant role in determining the behavior of adolescents. In many cases, families in Nigeria stress the importance of collective decision-making, respect for elders, and the power of the parent-child relationship. This results in a situation where adolescents rely heavily on the opinion of their parents before embarking on any travel venture. Parents will advise teenagers on traveling to places that will be educational, religious, safe, and culturally rich, while avoiding sites that are unsafe or morally wrong. Moreover, family economic status affects adolescents' tourism experience..

Tourism preferences among teenagers have been altered by modern technology advancements and social media exposure. Teenagers have access to tourism information from various sources like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube. However, even with their exposure to such information, parental approval is important for adolescents to join in any tourism activities. Research in tourism decisions indicates that teenagers may recommend destinations, but parents make the final decision due to their control of finances and planning (Xu et al., 2025).

Also, the decisions made regarding tourism activities by Nigerian teenagers depend on the lifestyles of their families, the culture of the families, religion, and education. Some families like tourism activities that expose their children to learning and culture such as museum visits, heritage centers, and ecoparks. There are other families that value entertainment and leisure; for such families, trips to beaches, resorts, and amusement parks are preferable. The communication style of families also determines the involvement of teenagers in tourism planning.

Studies have demonstrated that the role of children and adolescents in shaping tourism decisions is rising, especially during the preliminary phase of tourism planning (Xu et al., 2025). This shows that adolescents do not just participate passively in tourism activities; they are also active players whose views are considered. The level of influence, however, varies from one society to another, from one type of family to another, and from one socio-economic status to another. In Nigeria, there is insufficient research that has concentrated on the influence of the family on adolescents' tourism decisions..

Consequently, the current study will focus on analyzing the impact of the influence of family on the decision-making process of adolescents in their choice of tourism in Nigeria. The research will help in gaining insight into the impact of family dynamics on tourism preferences and involvement among adolescents. Additionally, the study will be beneficial to tourism planners and marketers..

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Due to globalization and technology development, along with social media influence, adolescents are becoming increasingly involved in tourism activities. Although adolescents have gained more interest in tourism, their decisions are still dominated by their families since the families manage the finances, security, and travel permission of the adolescents. In Nigeria, culture and family values play an important role in adolescent behavior. Even though some literature has demonstrated the impact of family on the decisions of people to travel, few empirical studies have been conducted to explore the influence of family on the decision-making process among adolescents in Nigeria. Most of the existing literature revolves around tourism development, tourist satisfaction, and destination management. Moreover, the adolescent generation nowadays gets information on tourism through social media and peers, which is likely to differ from the choices made by the family because of different interests and preferences. There is thus a difference between the interest of the adolescent and what the family expects the adolescent to choose regarding tourism.

The problem of this study can be stated as follows: To what extent does the family have an influence on the choice of tourist destination for adolescents in Nigeria? What are the factors in the family that influence such decisions?

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The key aim of this research is to analyze the impact of family influences on tourism decisions made by adolescents in Nigeria.

The specific aims include:

1.       To determine the level at which parents influence tourism decisions made by adolescents in Nigeria.

2.       To find out the influence of family income on tourism participation among adolescents.

3.       To explore the effect of family communication styles on tourism decisions made by adolescents.

4.       To analyze the role played by culture and religion in adolescents’ tourism decisions.

5.       To find out the relationship between family influence and tourism destination decisions of adolescents.

1.4 Research Questions

The following research questions will direct the study:

1. To what extent do parents affect adolescents' choice of tourism destinations in Nigeria?

2. How does the level of family income affect adolescents' engagement in tourism activities?

3. What role does family communication play in adolescents' tourism decision making process?

4. How do cultural and religious values affect adolescents' tourism destination choice?

5. What is the connection between family influence and tourism destinations chosen by adolescents?

1.5 Research Hypothesis

H0: Family influence has no significant effect on adolescents’ decision-making in tourism choices in Nigeria.

H1: Family influence has a significant effect on adolescents’ decision-making in tourism choices in Nigeria.

1.6 Significance of the Study

This study will prove useful for tourism players, families, researchers, and policymakers. The tourism marketers and destination managers will have an insight into the family influence on adolescent tourists, thus designing youth-oriented tourism products and marketing strategies.

Parents will realize the need for including their children in the tourism decisions through this study. Policy makers can design youth programs for domestic tourism and heritage in light of the results of this research.

In addition to this, this research will also make valuable contributions to the existing literature on tourism in Nigeria in general and adolescent behavior in particular.

1.7 Scope of the Study

This research paper will consider the impact of family influence on the decision making of adolescents in tourism decisions in Nigeria. In particular, it will look at parental influence, family income, communication, and culture among others as they influence the choice of tourists made by adolescents. This research will be conducted among selected adolescents in Nigeria..

1.8 Operational Definition of Terms

Family Influence: The influence of parents, siblings, guardians, and family values on the decision-making and behavior of adolescents.

Adolescents: Individuals ranging from 10 to 19 years old.

Decision-Making: The process of choosing between options for tourism activities.

Tourism Decisions: Choices related to destination, recreation, accommodation, and tourism itself.