Evaluating nature conservation and tourism development effectiveness: Local communities around Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Park, South Africa

Evaluating nature conservation and tourism development effectiveness: Local communities around Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Park, South Africa

This study aims at exploring how local community members evaluate the nature conservation and tourism development effectiveness around Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Park, KwaZulu-Natal, in South Africa. A structured and respondent-completed questionnaire survey of 160 local community members informed this...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:African journal of hospitality, tourism and leisure Vol. 6; no. 1
Main Authors: Joyce M. Mdiniso, Ikechukwu O. Ezeuduj, Antonia Thandi Nzama
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: AfricaJournals 01-01-2017
Subjects:
Community
local participation
natural resource management
sub-Saharan Africa
tourism
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Summary:This study aims at exploring how local community members evaluate the nature conservation and tourism development effectiveness around Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Park, KwaZulu-Natal, in South Africa. A structured and respondent-completed questionnaire survey of 160 local community members informed this research. Descriptive (frequency) and bivariate (Chi-Square and Correlation tests) analyses of data were done to seek for response distributions and relationships between variables, respectively. Interesting results show that there is a future for community-based natural resource management in this area, as the young population (less than 25 years of age) have not only the knowledge of nature conservation and tourism, but also have positive attitude towards them. The local community surveyed, generally speaking, is literate enough to manage decision-making regarding the planning, developing and managing natural resources and tourism. However, capacity-building in terms of specific capabilities needed for Game Park and tourism management will always be needed in this community. Ability to build business capability is always the precursor of business success. Increased local community’s tourism capabilities can be enabled through private sector stakeholders and tourism agencies supporting tourism business trainings that will enable local participation. A significant number of local community members are not satisfied with nature conservation and tourism development as they perceive that the economic rewards of tourism are not being received by the community.
ISSN:2223-814X