Tourism Development and Management Program Collaboration of Stakeholders’ Operation for Tourism Development: Evidences from Nekemte Town As A Tourist Destination in Western Oromia, Ethiopia
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Date
2018-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Nekemte town in Western Oromia is endowed with abundant natural and manmade attractions which can draw attention of both domestic and international tourists. Empirical review reveals that scholars have made their effort in studying the problem of lack of collaboration among stakeholders for tourism development in Ethiopia. However, problem of lack of coordination remained in air and is impeding the tourism development in the study area because most scholars tried to pinpoint the problems at the national level and in some areas which are not similar with study area in many settings. As a result, the central theme of this thesis deals with collaboration of stakeholders’ operation for tourism development in Nekemte town. The study followed the pragmatic approach. The research employed the mingle of quantitative and qualitative approach. Both primary and secondary sources of information were used. The analysis followed the descriptive techniques shored up with qualitative data. The research identified stakeholders for tourism development in the study area which include public offices, private organizations, local community and tourists. The findings of the research revealed that g collaboration of stakeholders is weak. The paper also identified benefits of collaboration in the study area which includes resource sharing, awareness creation, promotional works, exploration of tourist attractions, and infrastructural development at the tourist destinations. The other core point of the research findings was barriers of collaboration in the study area which comprise lack of adequate manpower, high turnover of office heads, absence of clear guidelines for collaboration, poor enforcement of rules and regulations, lack of budget, lack of awareness and political unrest in the area. The research results allude to on multitudes of issues. Above all, there is a need to know all the stakeholders with their respective roles. Secondly, the results emphasized the importance of formulation and enforcement of policies and guidelines to bring those stakeholders together. Thirdly, barriers of the collaboration should be tackled by integrating those stakeholders to be beneficiary of the collaboration. Lastly, the study results call for the all inclusive effort to undertake a thorough research in the study area. Attainment of these implications helps in harnessing stakeholders together and comprehends the potential of tourism for development.
Key words: Stakeholders, Collaboration, Benefits, Challenges, Nekemte Administrative Town,
Western Oromia, and Tourism Development