Challenges and Prospects of Ecotourism and Its Implications on Local Economic Development: The Case of Arsi Negelle Woreda, Oromia National Regional State

Abstract

Ecotourism is a recently emerged concept described as an ecologically friendly, economically viable, and socially acceptable form of tourism. It has basic principles for conservation of the environment, local culture, and ensuring the major beneficiary and participation of local communities. The purpose of this study was to assess the challenges and prospects of ecotourism and its implications on local economic development: the case of Arsi Negelle woreda of West Arsi Zone. To achieve the objective of the study employed a descriptive survey design and both quantitative and qualitative mixed-method was employed. In this study, both quantitative and qualitative research approaches were employed. The researcher took a total of 184 respondents (157 Sample respondents, 9 key informant interviews, and three FGDs or 18 people from local communities) who were included in the study. A stratified sampling method was used to randomly select kebeles. Lowland, midland, and highland agroecology were considered as the based three strata of sampling techniques. From each stratum, one kebele was selected and thus a total of 3 Kebeles were selected for the study using a simple random sampling method. The data were gathered through a questionnaire, key informant interview, focus group discussion, field observation, and document analysis. The quantitative data were analyzed using frequency and percentage when appropriate while qualitative data were used to triangulate and substantiate the study. The result of the study reveals that several challenges against the ecotourism development to local economic development in the study area were identified as follows lack of safety and security, lack of community awareness, lack of trained manpower, the absence of clean tap water, and seasonal nature of the business, language barriers for efficient communication with tourists, lack of cooperation among stakeholders, naturally and culturally incompatible infrastructural developments, cultural commercialization and abuse from tourists and community are among the challenges which merely seeks quick intervening solutions. The research investigated the challenges of developing ecotourism in the study area. The effort made to improve the participation of the local community through ecotourism development is very low. So, continuous awareness creation and encouragement should be given to the local community to increase their status in ecotourism development activities. In light of those circumstances, the study strongly recommends that Arsi Negelle Woreda Culture and Tourism Office to use ecotourism as alternative economic sources through local community empowerments and involvement were the main challenge of ecotourism development activities