The contribution of ecotourism to local economic development
Date
2014-04-04
Authors
Sentle, Fancy Doricca
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Abstract
Ecotourism and Local Economic Development are increasingly
confronted with arguments about their sustainability and
compatibility with environmental protection and community
economic development. Madikwe Game Reserve is a threelegged
equal Partnership model with an aim of developing the
socio-economic standard of the communities living on its fringes.
All three are equally responsible and accountable in sustaining the
project in accordance with integrated conservation and
development principles.
The purpose of this exploratory study was to make a review of
socio-economic development process contributed by MGR to the
local three villages. One of the key major findings was that the
Madikwe communities are independent and competitive of each
other. It was also established that MGR has not yet impacted
economically on the lives of these communities as it has promised
during the project’s initiation.
The research study concludes that ecotourism and Local
Economic Development face many barriers in developing the
socio-economic livelihoods of those who have been previously
marginalised.