Community Participation in Ecotourism Project Development: Evidence from Menz-Guassa Community Conservation Area, Ethiopia
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Abstract
The present study focused on examining the community participation in ecotourism project development in the Menz-Guassa Community Conservation Area in Ethiopia. Methodologically, a descriptive design with a mixed-research approach through a cross- sectional survey was employed. Simple random, stratified and purposive methods were used. Descriptive statistics for quantitative data and thematic analysis for qualitative data were utilised. The data collected via questionnaires and interviews, and document review were employed to triangulate the results of this study and past studies. The study indicates that the current degree/level of community involvement in ecotourism project development leans towards a degree of citizen control (high level) as described by Arnstein’s model at all phases. This denotes that local communities have significant influence at the initiation, planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation phases of ecotourism projects. Generally, the positive development of an ecotourism project is not possible without the involvement of communities. This study contributed by demonstrating that Arnstein’s model is a vital tool for measuring the level of community involvement in the development of ecotourism projects, where communities play a significant role at each stage to ensure the establishment of well-organised ecotourism initiatives. This study proposes that collaborative efforts amongst all relevant stakeholders are crucial to fostering community participation for achieving impactful and successful ecotourism projects in the Menz-Guassa Community Conservation Area.
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