TOURISTS’ PERCEPTION OF PROMOTIONAL PHOTOGRAPHS OF TOURIST CENTRES IN OYO STATE

This study is based on Tourists’ Perception of Tourist Centres in Oyo State. The aims is to examine tourists’ perception of promotional photography of tourist centres in Oyo State, addressing the influence it has in the decision making and satisfaction of tourist. The Basic Needs theory is employed which sees tourism as a basic need for man because they derive joy and fulfillment from it. The population of the study is 2000 as collected from the Oyo State Tourism Board (2024). In line with the objectives of this research, the study made use of the quantitative method design. Structured questionnaire were used to collect data from 333 respondents that were sampled conveniently. The data gathered was thereafter analyzed, presented and interpreted using the descriptive data analysis technique; by presenting the data in tables of the Likert scale rating format. The findings of the study showed that promotional photographs serves as one of the reasons why tourist's visit tourist centres in Oyo State with appreciation of the pictures seen and taken at the site. However, a photograph of tourist centres online is the same as reality, which influences decision taking in visiting tourist sites. This study recommended that Promotional Photography should be a major tool in advertising tourism. Tourist Centres should engage their tourist and ensure pictures taken at the site should be posted via their social media platforms. The government should ensure development of tourist sites and give more focus on the promotional images to be a source of revenue to the government.