Hopes and Realities: Local Perspectives on Participation in Community-Based Tourism
Tourism development has been promoted as an alternative major source of income for countries and local communities. This perspective has further underscored local communities as critical stakeholders in tourism development. As such, community-based tourism gained momentum as a viable community part...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
University of Hradec Králové
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Modern Africa |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://uni.uhk.cz/africa/index.php/ModAfr/article/view/451 |
| _version_ | 1797326980708827136 |
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| author | Goitsemang Mmeko Keneilwe Molosi-France Kenneth Dipholo |
| author_facet | Goitsemang Mmeko Keneilwe Molosi-France Kenneth Dipholo |
| author_sort | Goitsemang Mmeko |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Tourism development has been promoted as an alternative major source of income for countries and local communities. This perspective has further underscored local communities as critical stakeholders in tourism development. As such, community-based tourism gained momentum as a viable community participation approach for sustainable tourism development. However, even though community participation is said to be critical in sustainable tourism development, relatively little is known about how locals perceive community-based tourism as an alternative for sustainable livelihood, let alone the kind of local participation expected. The purpose of this article is to determine how the Mmadinare community in Botswana perceives community-based tourism and their own participation. The radical empowerment theory provides a theoretical framework. A qualitative multiple-case study approach using semi-structured interviews and focus groups was applied to gather data. The findings suggest that, in reality, community participation in tourism initiatives remains a challenge attributed to the lack of funding, a lack of capacity building, the limited involvement in decision-making platforms, the low awareness level of tourism development, and an unsuitable policy framework.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T06:31:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0b57d1e228bf4c19ab861045776ed561 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2336-3274 2570-7558 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T06:31:58Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | University of Hradec Králové |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Modern Africa |
| spelling | doaj.art-0b57d1e228bf4c19ab861045776ed5612024-02-03T11:14:51ZengUniversity of Hradec KrálovéModern Africa2336-32742570-75582023-12-0111210.26806/modafr.v11i2.451Hopes and Realities: Local Perspectives on Participation in Community-Based TourismGoitsemang Mmeko0Keneilwe Molosi-France1Kenneth Dipholo2University of Botswana, BotswanaUniversity of Botswana, BotswanaUniversity of Botswana, Botswana Tourism development has been promoted as an alternative major source of income for countries and local communities. This perspective has further underscored local communities as critical stakeholders in tourism development. As such, community-based tourism gained momentum as a viable community participation approach for sustainable tourism development. However, even though community participation is said to be critical in sustainable tourism development, relatively little is known about how locals perceive community-based tourism as an alternative for sustainable livelihood, let alone the kind of local participation expected. The purpose of this article is to determine how the Mmadinare community in Botswana perceives community-based tourism and their own participation. The radical empowerment theory provides a theoretical framework. A qualitative multiple-case study approach using semi-structured interviews and focus groups was applied to gather data. The findings suggest that, in reality, community participation in tourism initiatives remains a challenge attributed to the lack of funding, a lack of capacity building, the limited involvement in decision-making platforms, the low awareness level of tourism development, and an unsuitable policy framework. https://uni.uhk.cz/africa/index.php/ModAfr/article/view/451ParticipationtourismcommunityempowermentsustainabilityCommunity-Based Natural Resource Management policy |
| spellingShingle | Goitsemang Mmeko Keneilwe Molosi-France Kenneth Dipholo Hopes and Realities: Local Perspectives on Participation in Community-Based Tourism Modern Africa Participation tourism community empowerment sustainability Community-Based Natural Resource Management policy |
| title | Hopes and Realities: Local Perspectives on Participation in Community-Based Tourism |
| title_full | Hopes and Realities: Local Perspectives on Participation in Community-Based Tourism |
| title_fullStr | Hopes and Realities: Local Perspectives on Participation in Community-Based Tourism |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hopes and Realities: Local Perspectives on Participation in Community-Based Tourism |
| title_short | Hopes and Realities: Local Perspectives on Participation in Community-Based Tourism |
| title_sort | hopes and realities local perspectives on participation in community based tourism |
| topic | Participation tourism community empowerment sustainability Community-Based Natural Resource Management policy |
| url | https://uni.uhk.cz/africa/index.php/ModAfr/article/view/451 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT goitsemangmmeko hopesandrealitieslocalperspectivesonparticipationincommunitybasedtourism AT keneilwemolosifrance hopesandrealitieslocalperspectivesonparticipationincommunitybasedtourism AT kennethdipholo hopesandrealitieslocalperspectivesonparticipationincommunitybasedtourism |