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This study on “The Contribution of Local Community Participation on Development of Tourism” was conducted in the communities around Arusha National Park, Arusha, Tanzania.
Data were collected using questionnaire survey and interviews. A total number of 81 respondents were involved in this study, six workers of TANAPA and five NGO's workers. These respondents were selected from six villages which are Momella, Ngurudoto, Uwiro, Embasenyi, Ngabobo, and Njeku. Qualitative data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 20.
Finding from the study revealed that about 80.1% of respondents are not aware of the contribution of local communities‟ participation in development of tourism. It was further found that tourism has contributed to the improvements of local communities, employment opportunities direct through dealing with tourists such as porters and tour guides and indirect by building hotels and operating tourist companies. Other benefits include social services to the communities such as construction of dispensary, classroom, clean drinking water and roads maintenance. Also, respondents‟ views on challenges facing local communities in participation for development of tourism such as boundary conflicts between the park and local communities, low payments to workers involved in the tourism sector, bush fires, food crop damage by wild animals and difficulties to climb Mount Meru.
Therefore, to make development of tourism, participation between local communities and park authorities is needed so that conflict arises can be solved and therefore, improving the tourism industry at Arusha National Park. |
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