3. Tourism as a Tool for Poverty Alleviation: A Critical Analysis of ‘Pro-Poor Tourism’ and Implications for Sustainability

Chok, Stephanie; Macbeth, Jim; Warren, Carol

doi:10.21832/9781845410766-003

Cited by 13 publications

(5 citation statements)

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“…To be effective in the capacity amelioration of rural livelihoods, however, tourism development ought to be designed to spur rural job creation and income generation targeted to the touristic potential of a particular rural community (Ashley et al, 2000;Ashley, 2002;Goodwin, 2002;Ryan and Page, 2012). Gains emanating from such targeted developments in tourism with respect to indigenous communities dwelling around the protected areas have been noted by Chok et al (2007), Scheyvens (2007), Zhao and Ritchie (2007), Jamal and Stronza (2009) as well as Mitchell and Ashley (2010). In all these studies, a common observation manifests: rural employment, capacity building in enterprise development and management, advancement in social welfare and revenue creation stem from well-planned investment in rural enterprises in the touristic sector with concomitant increases in rural livelihoods (Spenceley, 2008;Mitchell and Ashley, 2010;Mugizi et al, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Potential of ecotourism as a mechanism to buoy community livelihoods: the case of Musina Municipality, Limpopo, South Africa

Ramaano

2021

JBSED

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PurposeThis study evaluates prospects of using ecotourism industry to advance community livelihoods in Musina Municipality, Limpopo, South Africa.Design/methodology/approachUsing questionnaire surveys, interviews primarily, supplemented by focus group discussions and interviews, primary data has been collected reflective of the potentiality of ecotouristic activities in Musina Municipality. To a lesser extent, field observations contribute to these primary sources. Extra insights are obtained through documentary reviews (secondary sources). Data is analyzed using quantitative statistical techniques supplemented by qualitative approaches.FindingsThe study confirmed substantial ecotourism potential of the Musina Municipality and that this potential is manifest irrespective of geographic and demographic factors. However, the study reports a low current ecotourism impact in the Musina Municipality with consequential minimal benefits accruing to the enhancement of the standard of living in the local community. An inference is made that the key gap area impeding the realization of ecotourism potential in the Musina Municipality is the absence of a well-articulated tourism strategy linked to the sustainable economic development of the communities involved. Several fruitful initiatives for ecotourism consonant with local factor endowments are proposed.Originality/valueAlthough, taken in topical isolation, matters of community livelihoods and sustainable development have been increasingly coming to the forefront of research on tourism, few studies have taken a holistic approach predicated on the integration of community livelihood and sustainable development roles of various forms of ecotourism in community development within many rural areas. This study represents the first case study employing an integrated approach to analyze ecotouristic potential of rural Musina Municipality, one of the driest areas in the far North of Limpopo Province, South Africa, characterized by low standard of living juxtaposed with high touristic potential.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Potential of ecotourism as a mechanism to buoy community livelihoods: the case of Musina Municipality, Limpopo, South Africa

Ramaano

2021

JBSED

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“…Yet there are enormous differences in the theorization and evaluation of pro-poor tourism, refl ecting variations in actual circumstances, policy cycles in foreign aid, and philosophical persuasions of researchers. Pro-poor objectives are diffi cult to meet, especially because of corruption, divisions of labour and competition (Chok et al, 2007;Turner, 2007). Although privatesector activities sometimes alleviate poverty (Harrison and Schipani, 2007), and wider associations and knowledge fl ows helpfully emerge (van der Duim and Caalders, 2008), insecure working conditions often prevail (Hill et al, 2006).…”

Section: Performing Tourism Work/ermentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For other critics, pro-poor tourism projects merely reorganize actors in an increasingly neoliberalized industry (Chok et al, 2007), shifting responsibility for poverty onto the poor themselves (Schilcher, 2007;Scheyvens and Momsen, 2008). Proponents of marketorientated tourism often ignore alternatives; Binns and Nel (2003) and Torres and Momsen (2004) documented cases where cooperation and new partnerships reaped most benefi t for indigenous peoples.…”

Section: Performing Tourism Work/ermentioning

confidence: 99%

Geographies of tourism: critical research on capitalism and local livelihoods

Gibson

2009

Progress in Human Geography

118

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In my previous report, I alluded to the contradictory situation where tourism appears marginal to debates about 'criticality' and 'relevance' in human geography, while simultaneously tourism geographers have been doing precisely the kinds of research that commentators have claimed are needed. Accordingly, in my second and third progress reports, I aim to draw attention to critical tourism geographies.At the outset I wish to obviate protracted discussion about what constitutes 'critical' geography (see instead Castree, 2000;Blomley, 2006). For me, research is critical because of its opposition to systems of domination, orthodoxies, injustices and oppressions. Critical research therefore usually stems from Marxist, feminist, postcolonial, queer, environmentalist or poststructuralist theories. Here, I do not prioritize research self-badged as 'critical'. Rather I report on recent research organized via critical 'threads' -which are admittedly neither complete nor perfectly linear. The firstconstituting this report -starts with research critiquing tourism capitalism, and then discusses labour, livelihoods and 'pro-poor tourism'. The subsequent report will follow a parallel thread -on spaces of encounter, embodiment and ethics.

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“…Experiences gained from the implementation of these concepts in the past decades paint a contradictory picture that leaves doubts as to their effectiveness (Ashley et al 2001;Hall 2007;Okazaki 2008). Many authors question the statement postulated by the UNWTO (2007) that ''tourism exchanges benefit primarily the countries of the South'' (Chok et al 2007;Scheyvens 2007;Schilcher 2007). Some deplore the limited effects of tourism on ecological and socioeconomic sustainability, while others demonstrate the poverty-reducing outcomes that community-based and pro-poor tourism can have at the local level; most agree, however, that under neoliberal conditions, with uneven distribution of income and unequal power structures at the regional and international scales, tourism does not initiate any fundamental changes.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Impact of Community-based Afro-alpine Tourism on Regional Development

Steinicke

Neuburger

2012

Mountain Research and Development

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Can existing Afro-alpine tourism promote poverty mitigation and resolve regional disparities? This article explores the significance of alpine tourism in the Mt Kenya region based on analysis of the state of the art and official statistical data along with own surveys, mapping activities, and household observations. The results show that economic benefits from mountaineering tourism in the Mt Kenya region are smaller than commonly calculated, and that low and inconsistent incomes are distributed unevenly. There are clear parallels to the critical situation in the Rwenzori Mountains in Uganda: Alpine tourism does not reduce regional income disparities and largely fails to promote sustainable development. The article also takes a closer look at the development effects of community-based tourism, drawing from the example of the Mt Kenya Guides and Porters Safari Club (GPSC), a community-based tourism organization operating from Naro Moru, at the fertile western foot of Mt Kenya. Results show that this form of tourism stabilizes the livelihoods of rural households, contributes to community welfare, and reduces the vulnerability of families. The GPSC’s democratic organizational structure with elected and regularly rotating offices prevents the enrichment of only few members and ensures even distribution of benefits to all members and to the whole community. Overall, however, there is not enough tourism in the study area to initiate sustainable regional development in the foreseeable future

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3. Tourism as a Tool for Poverty Alleviation: A Critical Analysis of ‘Pro-Poor Tourism’ and Implications for Sustainability

Cited by 13 publications

References 0 publications

Potential of ecotourism as a mechanism to buoy community livelihoods: the case of Musina Municipality, Limpopo, South Africa

Potential of ecotourism as a mechanism to buoy community livelihoods: the case of Musina Municipality, Limpopo, South Africa

Geographies of tourism: critical research on capitalism and local livelihoods

The Impact of Community-based Afro-alpine Tourism on Regional Development

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