Mountain Trekking Tourism and Community Development in Tanzania

Abstract

This study centred on assessing mountain trekking tourism and cornmunity development in Tanzania among communities in Machame, Kilimanjaro. Specific objectives of the study were to identify the tourism activities that are responsible for the socio-economic development of the households in the study area, to find out the impact of mountain trekking tourism on the communities in the study area, and to examine the ways that community participates in mountain trekking tourism activities in the study area. The methods used in data collection included key informant interview. documentary review and household survey which employed questionnaire to administer data from 195 households from Maehame Ward. The study found that age of respondents, duration or residents in area. years spent schooling, number of household members, sex of respondents, marital status, paying school fees, own increased price of services, employment opportunities. farming skills, conserving environment. encouraging local people to work for the tourism sector, sharing tourism benefits, consulting local people when tourism policies are being made influenced socio-economic development among communities adjacent to Mount Kilimanjaro. The study concluded that age of respondents, duration of residents in area, years spent schooling, number of household members, sex or respondents, marital status. and paying school fees determine socio-economic development among communities adjacent to Mountain Kilimanjaro. The study recommended that in order to increase the community participation in the tourism sector for community development, there is a need to institute training programmes at the community level that will ultimately provide for the local people to be employed in various tourism businesses.