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Abstract
Enugu State is executing one of Nigeria’s most ambitious sub-national tourism programmes, targeting up to three million annual visitors through the revitalisation of flagship sites including Awhum Waterfall and Cave, Okpatu (Cross of Hope) Hill, Nsude Pyramid Park, Ngwo Pine Forest, and Akwuke Sand Beach, alongside supporting infrastructure such as canopy walkways, a commercial zipline, and a planned Okpatu–Awhum cable car. This study evaluated the effectiveness of digital marketing strategies—social media campaigns, influencer partnerships, and mobile-first tactics—in generating awareness, interest, and visitation intention among domestic and international audiences. A mixed survey of 312 respondents (domestic potential visitors in South-East/South-South Nigeria and diaspora/international respondents reached online) was conducted between May and July 2026. Descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, and multiple regression were applied. Results indicated high exposure to Instagram and TikTok content about the sites, moderate-to-strong influence of influencer-generated content on interest and intention, and superior performance of short-form, mobile-optimised video over static posts. Domestic respondents showed higher conversion from awareness to intention; international respondents placed greater weight on professional photography, safety cues, and ease of digital booking. Social media engagement and influencer credibility jointly explained 34.2% of variance in visitation intention. Recommendations centre on integrated content calendars, micro-influencer programmes rooted in local communities, mobile-first booking journeys, and measurement frameworks aligned with the state’s visitor-volume targets.