Are local communities participating in ecotourism projects?

Abstract

A well-crafted ecotourism strategy that encourages the participation of poor rural communities could create opportunities for local communities’ residents. This study investigated whether the local communities are participating in the implementation of ecotourism projects. A mixed-methods approach was adopted in the form of interviews and questionnaires. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and ATLAS TI applications were used for data analysis, respectively. The findings indicate that community members had not been properly informed about ecotourism services across the four local municipalities, thereby, community participation in ecotourism activities was somewhat sporadic, inconsistent, and informal. An improved communication network is recommended to encourage local participation in ecotourism businesses.

Keywords: {'name': 'Ecotourism'}, {'name': 'Poverty alleviation'}, {'name': 'Pro-poor tourism (PPT)'}, {'name': 'Rural development'}, {'name': 'Sustainable development'}

Authors & affiliations

Fikile Xaba
Affiliation not supplied

Eyitayo Francis Adanlawo
Affiliation not supplied

Nomusa Yolanda Nkomo
Affiliation not supplied

Deposited references

Supplied references, not a list of publications citing this article.

DOI: 10.1016/j.tmp.2020.100782

Adanlawo, E. F. (2017). Community development: The use of corporate social responsibility initiatives by shopping centre Landlords (Doctoral dissertation, University of Zululand).

Adanlawo, E. F., Reddy, M. M., & Rugbeer, H. (2021). Intercultural business communication: The implications of language barriers. Psychology and Education Journal, 58(5), 6281-6290.

Alejo, A. O. (2018). The maintenance of tertiary institution buildings in ondo state, Nigeria: practice, problem and prospect

Civil and Environmental Research, 10(5), 90-95.

Aseres, S. A. (2015). Potentialities of community participation in community-based ecotourism development: Perspective of sustainable local development a case of Choke Mountain, Northern Ethiopia. J. Hotel Bus. Manag, 4, 1-4.

DOI: 10.1201/b12752-121

DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-22496-w

DOI: 10.31920/2516-3132/2022/v6n3a1

Chaka, M., & Adanlawo, E. F. (2023). The Impact of Ethnicity on South Africa’s National Unity. African Renaissance, 20(2), 315.

DOI: 10.29036/jots.v12i23.274

DOI: 10.3390/su8050475

Foster, G. K. (2018). Community Participation in Development. Vand. J. Transnat'l L., 51, 39.

Garraway, J. (2008). Ecotourism as a Means of Community Development: The case of the indigenous populations of the Greater Caribbean. ARA Journal of Tourism Research, 1(1), 11-20.

Greening, A. (2014). Understanding Local Perceptions and the Role of Historical Context in Ecotourism Development: A Case Study of St. Kitts.

Gumede, T. K., & Nzama, A. T. (2021). Approaches toward community participation enhancement in ecotourism. Protected area management-recent advances, 1-23.

Hameed, B., & Khalid, A. (2018). Impact of ecotourism in ensuring the sustainable development of tourism industry in India. International Journal of Recent Research Aspects, 5(2), 46-50.

Jugmohan, S. (2015). Pre-conditions, challenges and opportunities for community-based tourism in Mpondoland in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa (Doctoral dissertation, Cape Peninsula University of Technology).

DOI: 10.26650/jot.2021.7.1.0007

DOI: 10.4102/ac.v17i1.423

Mnisi, P., & Ramoroka, T. (2020). Sustainable community development: A review On The socio-economic status Of communities practicing ecotourism In South Africa. International Journal Of Economics And Finance, 12(2), 505-519.

DOI: 10.1080/14724049.2021.1942019

DOI: 10.26661/2522-1566/2023-2/24-01

Reddy, M. M., & Adanlawo, E. F. (2018). Communication’s module: Inclusion within all undergraduate qualification at higher education institutions. Gender and behaviour, 16(2), 11359-11376.

Shoo, R. A. (2017). Local communities’ perception of ecotourism and attitudes towards conservation of Lake Natron Ramsar Site, Tanzania.

DOI: 10.1016/j.annals.2013.09.005

DOI: 10.1016/j.jrurstud.2023.103167

Xaba, F., Adanlawo, E. F., & Nkomo, N. Y. (2024a). Ecotourism initiatives contribution to improved livelihoods: A case of UMkhanyakude District Municipality. International Journal of Innovative Technologies in Economy, 46(2), 1-9.

DOI: 10.24922/eot.v11i1.114082

DOI: 10.1007/s10668-022-02190-0

DOI: 10.3390/su11092506

Zondi, T., Nkomo, N. Y., & Adanlawo, E. F. (2023). The determinants of the economic wellbeing of an ageing population. Journal of Positive Psychology and Wellbeing, 7(3), 301-308.