Socio-Cultural Consequences of Tourism on SURI People
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Date
2021-01
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The aim of the study is to investigate the socio-cultural consequences of tourism on Suri People.
To achieve the objectives the researcher employed qualitative research method. Both primary
and secondary data were used to explore the socio-cultural consequences of tourism. To collect
the primary data, interview and focus group discussions were undertaken with selected
community elders, tour guides, government official and other concerned individuals. In addition,
deep and continuous personal observation was conducted to fill the gaps of interview and other
sources gathered from various literatures. For analysis and interpretation of the qualitative data
from the informants and observations, the research employed a qualitative thematic content
analysis. The study findings indicate that the Suri perceive specific positive and negative sociocultural impacts of tourism on the community. Some of the positive socio-cultural impacts of
tourism include the provision of jobs; improved personal incomes through exhibiting their
villages to tourists, posing for photographs, selling their crafts and cultural materials; sharing
cultural experience in their interaction with the tourists. Tourists appreciate improvements of
social service providing infrastructural development in health care and education; and thus,
some started supporting individuals on the Suri community. However, the study also revealed
negative socio-cultural impacts of tourism on the community: The interaction creates new
behavior strike the Suri as most characteristic of the tourists taking photographs all the time is a
quintessential activity or posture of a tourist. Increase the number of tourists to visit Suri create
commoditize Suri cultural values for the tourists such as male ceremonial dueling (donga),
modifying body painting, material objects in exaggerating way for the tourist in sake of money.
Besides, tourism has brought behaviors change of youth demanding money and robbing the
tourists, community become irritated and aggressive on tour guides and tourists in case of
cheating by tour guide and local guides. Conclusion tourism has both positive and negative
contribution on social and culture of the community. Therefore, it is recommended that measure
should be taken on negative contribution of tourism on the community by concerning body before
social and culture is endangered, and also, improves positive side of tourism for the community
benefit. The activities which showed by local community change behavior in irritated and
aggressive on tour guides and tourists it postulated negative image of Suri in international image
affects on tourists satisfaction, likelihood of revisit and favorable recommendation on Suri
community.