African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure (May 2017)
Challenges and Opportunities for Community Based Ecotourism Development in Ethiopia.
Abstract
Ecotourism is defined as responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people. Community-based ecotourism (CBE), on the other hand, is a very specific form of ecotourism which is used to describe ecotourism ventures that are characterized by high environmental considerations, increased control and involvement of the local residents, as well as significant benefits accruing for the host community. Ethiopia, due to its magnificent natural and cultural tourism resources, has a huge potential to become one of the sought after ecotourism destinations in the world. There are some promising community based ecotourism initiatives in different parts of the country such as Adaba -Dodola, Semen Mountains National Park, Wonchi Crater Lake and Adwa. The objective of this review paper was to examine the challenges and opportunities for Community Based Ecotourism development in Ethiopia. By its methodological approach, this review is considered to be a narrative review since the reviewer summarized the findings of empirical research which were conducted in different parts of Ethiopia, and a total of 13 research findings were reviewed. The findings from these studies revealed a poor ecotourism infrastructure and facilities (trekking pass, parking facilities, all weather roads, camping sites, clean water, electricity and health and other facilities), conflicts of interest over resource usage and a severe lack of trained manpower as being the major hindering factors for community based ecotourism development in Ethiopia to flourish. Moreover, the results from the review also identified the presence of an abundant variety of ecotourism resources, good proximity to honeypot areas and enabling policy environments, as the major prospects for community based ecotourism development in Ethiopia to take root.
