Challenges and Contribution of Community Participation in Tourism Industry Evidence from Bwejuu Village in Zanziba

Abstract

This study centred on understanding how local communities participate in tourism industry in Bwejuu Village in Zanzibar, the benefit they are getting and challenges towards improving their livelihoods. Specifically, the study identifies tourism industry activities and how local communities participate in improving their livelihoods. Secondly, it finds out challenges hindering local community participation in tourism sector. Thirdly, it identifies the contribution and prospects of tourism sector in enhancing local communities' livelihoods. Interviews, observations, questionnaire, focus group discussion, documentary reviews and photograph taking were methods employed to collect the data and explore the case. The study results show that tourist hotels, beach attraction, seaweed, historical building archives, diving and snorkeling, sailing boats, coral reefs and lagoons as well as mangrove swamps are some tourist activities in the settlement, Both men and women are involved in the tourist activities. Language barriers, inadequate experience of operators, poor education and training, culture, low commitment of actors and poverty level are some challenges highlighted. The tourist activities noted contribute to the local communities' livelihoods in terms of employment creation, leisure, income generation, increased government revenues, schooling, health, house construction and household consumption. The study recommends that the government may opt to ensure that local communities' involvement in the tourism sector through training and awareness creation. Thus, there is an urgent need to enhance participation and involvement of local communities in tourism sector for local communities' livelihoods improvement and thereby contributing to the national economic growth and poverty reduction agenda at national and household level.