Review on Potentials Resources and Challenges for Community Based Ecotourism Development in Ethiopia

Abstract

Ecotourism is defined as responsible travel to natural areas that conserve the environment and improves the well-being of local community. Community-based ecotourism (CBE) is a form of ecotourism in which the community has substantial control over it, and the majority of the benefits remain in the community. Ethiopia is a country having enormous potential of ecotourism resource including cultural, historical, archaeological and natural resources which are ideal for the development of sustainable community-based ecotourism projects. There are some community-based ecotourism initiatives in different parts of the country such as Adaba -Dodola, Semen Mountains National Park, Wonchi Crater Lake and Adwa. The objective of this review paper was to examine the challenges and potentials for Community Based Ecotourism development in Ethiopia. The findings from this review showed that, Lack of cooperation among stakeholders conflicts of interest over resource usage and a severe lack of trained manpower in tourism professions as being the major obstacles that hinders community-based ecotourism development in Ethiopia.

Keywords: Challenges, Potentials, community-based ecotourism, Ethiopia.

DOI: 10.7176/JTHS/49-01

Publication date:May 31^st 2020