Marina Novelli

Community Based Tourism in Namibia: ‘Reality Show’ or ‘Window Dressing’?

Since the 1970s, the African continent has experienced exponential growth in tourism, where growth in numbers of visitors has not necessarily meant economic, social or environmental benefits for the host community. A review of the literature concerning tourism development and its effects on local communities forms the basis for the investigation of the reasons behind community based tourism (CBT) being identified as a tool for development in Namibia. An assessment of the planning and implementation phases of the CBT strategy enables consideration on the role played by international and national governments and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in laying down policies and providing proactive support for CBT related projects. This paper presents the results of an ongoing empirical research conducted since 2003 in the Kunene region of Namibia, which is an important part of the overall Namibian tourism destination, with world-renowned resources such as Etosha National Park, the Himba culture, Epupa Falls, the desert-adapted elephant and the rhino, to name just a few. By attempting an overall assessment of the Namibian current CBT situation, a set of considerations are offered with regard to its practicalities and in terms of benefits, problems and future outlooks for this sector.

The other side of the ecotourism coin: consumptive tourism in Southern Africa

Over the 20th century, wildlife-based tourism has experienced significant growth, with increasing emphasis placed on ecotourism as one of the most beneficial forms of sustainable tourism. A widely accepted argument is that ecotourism is a non-consumptive practice far better received than those consumptive forms, such as sport or trophy hunting tourism. This paper discusses aspects of perception, consumption and conservation of wildlife in relation to the North–South divide and the controversial issue of sport and trophy hunting tourism. By presenting results of research conducted in Namibia and Botswana, this paper presents a provocative argument that ecotourism embraces forms of consumptive tourism, which can prove to be beneficial to the economy, the environment and local communities.

Tourism development: growth, myths and inequalities.

As a tool for poverty reduction and means of linking environmental stewardship with wider aspects of socio-cultural development, tourism has made a significant contribution to international development. However, as an important economic sector for most countries and regions, wider questions of politics, power, identity, inequality and growth within the tourism industry need to be better understood. Making the first substantial empirical contribution to the understanding of tourism as a development mechanism in poor regions and countries, this book takes an in-depth look at the successes and paradoxes of tourism in these roles and considers why tourism as a catalyst for economic development can be a controversial device. Chapters cover topics such as global and local conflicts in tourism, economic exploitation of the exotic, gender equality and participation as well as tourism and development methodologies. Offering a wide perspective on theoretical frameworks and using international case studies, this book will be relevant to both tourism practitioners and academics.

Tourism in Protected Areas: Integrating Conservation and Community Development in Liwonde National Park (Malawi)

Abstract Despite the spatial significance of protected areas and the increasing threats posed to the worlds biodiversity by various agents, successful conservation still remains controversial and inconsistent. In this context, protected areas have become a core attraction for nature-based tourism activities, valued for their ability to generate financial benefits in a non-extractive way, thus effectively enabling the sustainability of biodiversity. This paper reviews literature on the relationships between protected areas, conservation, local communities and tourism and evaluates key issues related to the integrated conservation and development (ICD) approach. This is then proposed as an alternative way to traditional protected area management in conjunction with a diversified local livelihood approach. Based on empirical findings from Liwonde National Park in Malawi, key issues related to conservation and community development are explored focusing on how the financial benefit provided by tourism for the government does not reflect the little opportunities offered to local communities – in terms of involvement and economic development. The paper explains the need for an artificial linkage of revenue sharing as a community incentive as well as an effective ICD approach. Some general considerations on the management of protected areas, the role of tourism and the conflicting position of the communities in relation to the former two are also offered.

Tourism and Poverty Reduction: An Interpretation by the Poor of Elmina, Ghana

Over the past decade, academic research into the use of tourism as a contributor to poverty reduction has grown considerably; however, there are few insights on how the poor perceive the connections between poverty and tourism. Based upon interpretive and participatory fieldwork with the poor of Elmina in Ghana, this paper explores their understanding and constructions of poverty and how they comprehend tourism as a provider of alternative livelihood opportunities. It emerged that poverty is understood as a multi-dimensional construct, including low and irregular incomes, depletion of natural resources, a lack of access to social assets and educational opportunities, and denial of meaningful participation in society. At a time of structural readjustment in Elminas economy, the potential of tourism to enhance livelihoods and reduce poverty is high, but remains hindered by major barriers to entrepreneurship development and employment within the sector, which is worsened by the lack of access to credit, exclusion from decision-making, poor skills and excessive bureaucracy. It became evident that a focus on the use of tourism for macroeconomic gains will not necessarily benefit the poor. They need to be included in tourism policy and practice, not only as a target group, but also in participatory mechanisms to ensure the appropriate use of tourism for poverty reduction. It is argued that it is only through a better understanding of poor peoples experiences of poverty, that tourism can be used more meaningfully as a strategy for its alleviation.

Hypermobility in backpacker lifestyles: the emergence of the internet café.

Mobility, an inherent quality of globalization, is characterized by movement and is arguably an integral part of modern travel. A particular category of mobility can be associated with the travel lives of budget travellers (backpackers, vagabonds, gap year travellers), falling within the realm of extreme mobility as they move from location to location. Internet cafes play a vital function in traveller mobility networks and are a symbol of their mobility. While all tourist places are mobility places, Internet cafes are a particular and growing type of tourist activity place – a place of hypermobility, where travellers can manage and facilitate their multiple mobilities, fully embracing a hypermobile lifestyle. This chapter will argue that Internet cafes materialize by necessity (market forces) in specific places like traveller enclaves and within hostels but are not fully embedded in the place. A cafe then isn’t just defined by its fixity and physically bounded location but also by the multiple mobilities of today’s travellers; not just from their increased numbers and diversity but also from the technology they bring and use. By using mobility studies as a conceptual base for this chapter, we can learn something about what it means to live and consume in the age of globalization and ask how globalization processes such as hypermobility (and how travellers have to manage and facilitate it) mesh with countercultures like backpacking.

Peer-to-peer capacity-building in tourism: values and experiences of field-based education.

Taking tourism as a metaphor for the complex and unequal relationship between the Majority World and the more affluent tourist-generating countries, this paper reports research into ways in which educational tourism can facilitate mutually beneficial exchanges between ‘hosts and guests’. The empirical work is based on data collected as part of an innovative field-based education project on international tourism development and management with field-based activities conducted in The Gambia. The paper aimed to show that if the exchange, both culturally and pragmatically, was to benefit not only the visiting students but also the host country, then values, cross-cultural interaction, innovation and knowledge exchange would have to play key roles to ensure that this peer-to-peer capacity-building opportunity though educational tourism would contribute to sustainable (tourism) development in the chosen locality.

Tourism in the East African Community (EAC): challenges, opportunities, and ways forward

The Economic Road Map and Visions of the East African Community member states (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi) view tourism development not only as a key pillar for national development, but most importantly as a mechanism to alleviate poverty, generate foreign revenue for the government, and contribute to wildlife conservation. With exception of Kenya and Tanzania, which also have a well-developed coastal tourism segment, the remaining East African Community countries are landlocked, with nature and wildlife remaining as the only core tourism assets. Yet, their Economic Road Map and Visions foresee tourism as a key contributor to transforming their economies in the years to come. While this sounds like a honorable aspiration, most tourism revenues have been generated through narrow tourism products, such as wildlife and national parks, based on a few species (i.e. the big five and the mountain gorillas). Other challenges affecting the potential for tourism to flourish include political stability and governance, infrastructure development, service standards, and human capacity just to name a few. In this paper, drawing upon literature and previous research experiences of the authors, an overview on the state of tourism in the East African Community is presented with the aim to assess the main challenges, opportunities, and offer some reflections on possible ways forward for tourism development in the region.

Travel philanthropy and sustainable development: the case of the Plymouth–Banjul Challenge

Travel philanthropy is an evolving phenomenon. It owes its origins to rising frustrations with conventional aid and traditional philanthropic giving and is seen as development assistance enabling resources to flow directly from the tourism industry into community development and conservation initiatives. Philanthropists have long sought to achieve social transformation, and travel philanthropy in all its forms has evolved through the democratization of charity, as a kind of “doing good” through “giving back” whilst travelling. This paper evaluates values, practices and impacts of traditional, modern and post-modern philanthropy. Drawing upon evidence emerging from a longitudinal study, which involved the retrospective evaluation of personal diary entries, participant observations and semi-structured interviews about the transcontinental Plymouth–Banjul (car) Challenge (PBC), it exemplifies how an initiative can evolve across all three philanthropic approaches. It further debates critical understandings of the problematic travel philanthropy concept and its role in stimulating sustainable development in sub-Saharan Africa.

African tourism and hospitality in global society: Central or peripheral?

Tourism in Africa and particularly, in the Sub-Saharan Africa is growing at a rate faster than the global tourism industry growth rate (Katongore et al., 2014). The International Monetary Fund (2013) viewpoint for the region remains broadly positive as a gross domestic product growth at 4.75% was registered in 2012, with projected increases to 5.5% for 2013 and 6% for 2014. This implies that Africa is gaining popularity as a long haul destination. According to a recent World Bank (2013) publication, tourism can be a powerful and meaningful development path for Africa. In fact, a welcome key finding of new research suggests that with effective planning and development, Africa’s tourism industry could create 3.8 million jobs over the next 10 years, with already, one in every 20 jobs in Africa involves the tourism, travel hospitality industry. Despite this seemingly impressive picture and percentage growth rate, while in the year 2012, the international tourist arrivals totalled to over 1.035 billion, Africa’s market share was only 52 million which is 5% of the global figure (United Nations World Tourism Organisation, 2012). This gloomy percentage raises a question whether African tourism and hospitality sector is actually central or peripheral in the global context, a question, which we attempt to address in this special issue. The Association of Tourism and Leisure Studies (ATLAS) – Africa chapter (http://www.atlas-euro.org/) brings together different Africa-based leisure, tourism and hospitality training and research institutions. It was founded in 2000 during its inaugural conference in Mombasa, Kenya. This first event was followed by further six ATLAS Africa conferences: