Fifth International Conference on Tourism & Leisure Studies

Abstract

A proper understanding of terrain characteristics and appropriate elevation data required for terrain mapping are important in the appreciation of aesthetic values, destination management and sustainable development of mountainous tourist sites. This study determined the topographical characteristics and the best digital elevation model (DEM) (SRTM, ASTER and ALOS World 3D) to extract accurate absolute terrain attributes of the tourism attractions/support facilities in four mountainous tourism sites in Ondo State, Nigeria: Idanre Hills (IH), Oyemekun Rock (OR), Cave of Ashes (CoA) and Oke-Maria (OM). Field survey and geospatial technology methods using the extraction, correlation scatter plotting, DEM profiling and differencing tools were employed. A total number of thirty-four, fifteen, one and twenty-one tourism attractions/support facilities were observed in IH, OR, CoA and OM respectively. ALOS W3DDSM had the highest mean elevations at the IH (352.95 ± 3.00m), OR (346.36 ± 3.00m) and CoA (360.00 ± 7.37m) respectively, while SRTM DEM at the OM (496.61 ± 23.51m). ASTER GDEM recorded the least mean elevations in all the sites as also depicted by the topographic profile line graphs. Correlation scatter plots revealed that the SRTM DEM versus ALOS W3DDSM and SRTM DEM versus ASTER GDEM had the higher and lower coefficients of determination respectively in all the sites. The study revealed the sites’ potentials to high altitude associated recreation activities and efficiency of ALOS W3DDSM for terrain characterization. Concerted efforts should be made by major stakeholders in the destination management, infrastructure development and marketing of these sites to harness their aesthetic values.