Browsing by Author "Teklu, Teshome"
Item Factors Determining Local Community Participation in Ecotourism Development: the case of Suba Forest, Special Zone of Oromia Surrounding Finfine, Oromia National Regional State(Addis Ababa University, 2019-06) Teklu, Teshome; Senbata PhD, FayeraThis study focused on assessment of determinant factors that affect local community participation in ecotourism activities in Suba Forest and its environs. The study employed mixed research approach and data were collected using questionnaire, interview, secondary data, and field observation. The findings of the study revealed that the demographic, social, economic and administrative factors inhibiting local community participation in the ecotourism activities in the case of Suba Forest. Local community of the area were entirely excluded from ecotourism developments and exhaustively depended on the forests products and by products in addition to agriculture and they are against the prevailing top-down approach in decision making. Lack of efforts and commitment from the forest and Wolmera Woreda Culture and Tourism Office to use ecotourism as alternative economic sources through local community empowerments and involvement were the main constraints. Finally the study recommends that ecotourism should acquire priority and government has to apply participatory ecotourism development approaches and strategies to exploit areas ecotourism development potentials to overcome the current environmental, socio-cultural and economical challenges through active stakeholder involvement.