Empowering communities in protected areas with sustainable tourism

What is it about?

Visiting a national park where the locals are your guides offers a one-of-a-kind experience. But, are these locals being given a fair chance to give you a tour? Community-based tourism, involves local communities taking care of tourists. It can greatly help the local communities staying in and around protected areas. It gives these communities a say in how their natural resources are managed. This study focuses on community-based tourism in Ethiopia's Nech Sar National Park. It aims to promote sustainability in the region. It focuses on developing a community-based tourism approach to conserve biodiversity, while offering benefits to the local populations. Interviews, discussions, and feedback from these groups bring forward several issues. The most concerning issues relate to poverty and food scarcity. Members of the local communities rely heavily on the park's resources to make a living. This creates tension between the local population and the government’s conservation policies. Community-based tourism can provide local communities with a number of opportunities. This may help reduce poverty as well as increase the value of protected areas.

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Photo by Beth Macdonald on Unsplash

Photo by Beth Macdonald on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Local communities living near protected areas in Africa play an important role. However they have not been fully involved in protecting their environment. These communities often depend on the resources of these areas, which may conflict with conservation efforts.. We need a new plan for conservation, and community-based tourism could be an excellent solution. Although tourism has not made a big impact on the local communities yet, they are interested in being involved. . Through community-based tourism, local communities can exist peacefully while conserving their surroundings. KEY TAKEAWAY: Involving local communities in conservation efforts is key. Community-based tourism can give the local population a better life as well as protect our natural resources. This research relates to the following Sustainable Development Goals: • SDG 1: No Poverty • SDG 2: Zero Hunger • SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth • SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production • SDG 15: Life on Land