African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure (Aug 2017)
Assessing Community Engagement and Tourism Development: A case study of Nqileni, Bulungula Lodge in the Eastern Cape Province.
Abstract
This research was designed to assist the local community and tourism entrepreneurs to enhance their knowledge of needed engagement so as to bolster tourism to the area in question as a favoured attraction. The fundamental aim of this paper was thus to assess the level of community engagement in tourism development processes through the case of Elliotdale, Bulungula Lodge in the Eastern Cape Province. Tourism is considered to be a viable tool for economic development, specifically in the developing world. It was envisaged and deemed necessary to develop tourism in the local communities as it would generate community development, thus supporting its overall development. Apart from this, tourist sites enhance community cohesion and promote peace within the host community. The researchers argue that there is a sizeable gap between tourism stakeholders such as the local municipalities, small business enterprise and tourists with the communities in relation to tourism. Moreover, the findings revealed that only a few members of the community were engaged in decision-making processes, problem identification and problem solving processes. In the same vein, tourists were satisfied with the processes which were taking place at a destination but complained about some activities in the village such as the poor use of English as a means of communication. The negative aspects raised by the communities and tourists in the tourism development processes include the lack of official government assistance, a lack of sponsors together with the very poor infrastructure which is not conducive to tourism. The article recommends that the government should endeavour to provide a sustainable and conducive environment in which tourism can thrive in Nqileni village. Finance also emerged as a very crucial factor to support the development of projects. Finance should be provided either by government or the private sector, or both, so as to ensure an on-going process of tourism development in the relevant communities.
