ASSESSING THE INFLUENCE OF CULTURAL HERITAGE RESOURCES IN PROMOTION OF TOURISM IN YALA L.G.A

Cultural heritage has an important role in ensuring local and regional development. Studies have shown that first sustainability of heritage sites need to be ensured. To stimulate regional or local development, specific cultural creative industries measures are often introduced in public policies. Cultural heritage ensures employment, impact tourism development and entrepreneurship which in turn influence increase in income for local population as well as generation of tax revenue for the government. Furthermore, on its importance in ensuring social cohesion, inclusion, participation, and local community wellbeing. Specific objectives of the study are to access the influence of cultural heritage resources in the promotion of tourism in Yala Local Government Area.Data for this research was collected from two main source primary and secondary, the primary source which include inter-view, ethnographic, personal observation, photographing, and questionnaire, while the secondary sources include journals. The findings revealed that Yala hold a unique cultural heritage resource that can contribute progressively to the development of tourism and position them as a tourism destination.