Community Based Ecotourism in Gheralta: Hawzen Woreda in Eastern Zone of Tigray.
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Date
2011-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate and document the role of community based ecotourism to
the local communities of Gheralta on the basis of data collected from the three sample kebelles
of Koraro, Korkor and Megab. The study employed a household survey questionnaire to (90)
respondents to collect quantitative data on a major a;pects of the topic under study, namely,
household socio- economic features, local livelihoods, awareness about and attitude towards
tourism. Moreover in- depth interviews were also conducted with 6 selected household heads
and with 10 relevant persons including tourists on the spot. FGD was also conducted with one
group consisted of 6 members having 2 members from each of the study sites. The study made
use of community based ecotourism model that states the local community of the destination or
site to be at the heart of the tourism activities in terms of community empowerment, income
sharing, ensuring local communities' involvement in their localities tourism activities, ownership
of tourism resource and taking care of local resources. The study shows that since majority of
the local peoples of the study area are dependant on agriculture as their main livelihood,
minority of them have made tourism as their means of livelihood. This is true either as employee
in the lodge or as tourist guide. Moreover there are also individuals engaged informally to use it
as a means of off-farm income sources. The study further revealed that, while the study area is
potential for community based ecotourism, and the presence of positive attitude towards it, local
people at a grass root level were not yet beneficiary. As the finding shows this emanates from
lack of training and the absence of community based ecotourism system that works at a
community level. However there were good starts at Megllb where locally owned tourism guide
association and privately owned lodge in Hawzell which can be taken as a model to the other
near by areas. Hence, any future tourism activity in the area should take into consideration the
need, ability and capacity of the local people so as to make them part and parcel of tourism
business.
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Keywords
Ecotourism in Gheralta