Potentials and Challenges for Community Based Ecotourism development at Haro Aba Diko Controlled Hunting Area, Western Oromia,Ethiopia

Abstract

Community-Based Ecotourism has become the most basic tool to meet sustainable tourism and livelihood demand across the world in general and developing Countries in particular. However there was the challenges that hinders development of community based ecotourism.This study was conducted to identify the Potentials, Challenges and perceptions of community towards community based ecotourism at Haro Aba Diko Controlled Hunting area, western oromia, Ethiopia. In order to achieve the objective of the study both primary and secondary data were used. Purposive and simple random sampling methods were used to select three kebeles surrounding the study area and 140 sample respondents respectively.To select key informant, snow ball method was used. The quantitative data was analyzed using frequency, percentage and mean while the qualitative data was used to triangulate and substantiate the study. The result of the study indicated that Haro Aba Diko Controlled Hunting area had huge resource potential such as attractive flora and fauna varied in types and, Dabena and Didesa rivers that are potential resource of fish species with attractive cultural resource like Cultural dance, cultural food and drinks, coffee ceremony, Dressing style, Traditional ways of conflict resolutions mechanisms (Jaarssummaa) are potentials Resource for community based ecotourism establishment. Although it had this potentials, the community based ecotourism establishment is constrained by lack of awareness, basic infrastructures, tourism professionals, integrations between community and licensed Tour operator and government organizations, and Illegal activity of community like Settlements within the Controlled Hunting Area and Conversions of forest lands to Agricultural lands. To empower the establishment of community based ecotourism, awareness creation program, promotion activity, filling gap of community social infrastructures and further study in the study area should be needed.