Cultural Exchange and Tourism – SS1 Citizenship & Heritage Studies Lesson Note (Third Term)

Cultural exchange is the sharing of music, food, art, stories and other ways of life between people from different backgrounds.

Behavioural objectives

1. Explain what cultural exchange is and how it happens.
2. Define tourism and name the two types of heritage sites in Nigeria, with examples.
3. State how tourism helps to preserve Nigeria’s heritage.
4. Describe how tourism benefits the economy.
5. List the social, cultural, economic and infrastructural benefits of tourism and cultural exchange.
6. State two problems tourism can cause and how to reduce them.

What are the key terms?

Six terms are used throughout this topic.

• Heritage: the traditions, places and objects passed down from our ancestors.
• Cultural exchange: the sharing of ways of life between different groups of people.
• Tourism: travelling to a place for pleasure or education.
• Souvenir: an item bought to remember a place, such as a bead, cloth or carving.
• Foreign exchange: foreign money, such as dollars or euros, earned by a country.
• Infrastructure: basic facilities such as roads, electricity, water and bridges.

What is cultural exchange?

Cultural exchange happens when people from different backgrounds share their music, food, art and stories with one another.

How does cultural exchange happen?

• Exchange programmes: students or workers live and learn in another country or state.
• Festivals: international events such as the Calabar Carnival bring visitors and locals together.
• Food and music: people learn about others by tasting jollof rice or listening to their songs.
• The internet: people share local crafts, dances and stories online.
• Travel: visitors meet host communities and learn their greetings, dress and customs.

Why is cultural exchange important?

• It breaks down stereotypes: a stereotype is a fixed, often wrong, idea about a group of people.
• It shows real life: a foreigner who eats jollof rice or watches a Durbar Festival sees Nigerian culture first hand.
• It builds respect: people who learn about each other’s customs understand each other better.

What is tourism?

Tourism is the act of travelling to a place for pleasure or education.

What are the types of tourism?

There are two main types of tourism: domestic and international.

• Domestic tourism: people travel within their own country, for example a family from Lagos visiting Yankari Game Reserve.
• International tourism: people travel to another country, for example visitors from abroad attending the Calabar Carnival.

What are the types of heritage sites in Nigeria?

There are two types of heritage sites that tourists visit in Nigeria: natural sites and cultural sites.

How does tourism help to preserve our heritage?

Tourism helps to preserve heritage by giving people a reason to protect and keep alive what they have inherited.

• Value through attention: when tourists pay to see an old palace, the community sees that it is important and protects it.
• Money for upkeep: entry fees and other income can pay for repairs and care of the site.
• Reviving dying arts: crafts such as weaving Aso-Oke and bronze casting in Benin survive because tourists buy them as souvenirs.
• Pride: young people see visitors travel far to watch their village festival, so they want to learn the tradition from their elders.

How does tourism help the economy?

Tourism helps the economy by bringing in foreign money, creating jobs and encouraging better facilities.

• Foreign exchange: international tourists bring foreign currency, which strengthens the economy.
• Invisible export: tourism is called an “invisible export” because we sell an experience to foreigners, not a physical product.
• Government income: fees and taxes paid by tourists and tourism businesses add to public funds.
• Infrastructure: to reach the Obudu Mountain Resort, roads and electricity must be provided, and local villagers use them too.

What jobs does tourism create?

• Hotels: tourists need a place to sleep, so hotels employ cleaners, cooks and receptionists.
• Transport: tourists need taxis and buses to move around.
• Tour guides: guides tell the stories of the sites.
• Artisans: bead makers, weavers and carvers sell to visitors.
• Food sellers: traders and restaurants feed visitors.

What are the benefits of tourism and cultural exchange?

There are four types of benefit: social, cultural, economic and infrastructural.

What problems can tourism cause?

Tourism can harm a community and its heritage if it is not well managed.

• Loss of culture: a tradition may be changed just to please visitors.
• Damage and litter: crowds can wear out sites and leave rubbish behind.
• Overcrowding: too many visitors disturb residents and wildlife.
• Higher prices: food and services may become costly for local people.

How can these problems be reduced?

• Set rules: limit visitor numbers and ban littering and damage.
• Educate visitors: guides explain how to respect the site and local customs.
• Involve the community: local people share in the decisions and the income.

Class activity

1. Role play: you are a tour guide at the Benin Museum. Write down three interesting things you would tell a tourist about the Benin Bronzes.
2. Discussion: if your village had a secret beautiful waterfall, would you want tourists to come there? State the good and bad things that could happen.

Evaluation

1. What is cultural exchange? Give two ways it can happen.
2. Name the two types of heritage sites in Nigeria and give one example of each.
3. Explain two ways tourism helps to preserve our heritage.
4. Why is tourism called an “invisible export”?
5. List four kinds of jobs that tourism creates.

Assignment

Creative thinking: create an advert or small poster inviting people to visit a famous festival or site in your state. State its name, its location, whether it is natural or cultural, and one benefit it brings to the community.