Tourism Potential and Its Development Challenges: In the Case of Womberma Woreda

Abstract

The study entitled to the tourism potential and its development challenges: in the case of Womberma Woreda. The main objective of this study is to assess the tourism potential and its development challenges in womberma woreda. This research have two specific objectives, the first specific objectives is to assess the potential of tourism development in the womberma woreda.  Second, identify the challenges of tourism development in the study area. Descriptive research design was applied to this study with qualitative research approaches so as to describe the existing situations. To collected data through, in-depth interview, field observation, document analysis and other means of sources, which were helpful during the collection of the necessary information. The main findings of the study show that Womberma Woreda has great natural and cultural potential for tourism resources. The natural potentials include plants, caves, landscapes, forests and wildlife. There are also various cultural resources such as artifacts, churches, ruins of the ancient Shinasha tribe, sacred (holy) water, songs, various traditional festivals, ceremonies, etc. Although Woreda has these potential tourism resources and diverse values, they have not yet been developed and utilized, mainly due to various factors such as lack of infrastructure, lack of awareness of tourism potential, lack of promotion and marketing, lack of local government attention, limited budget, lack of skilled and professional manpower, lack of cooperation among stakeholders and lack of quality services and facilities in the destination. In order to solve these problems active involvement of tourism stakeholders play a vital role. Plans, policies, and strategies that are go in line with tourism development , strong promotional campaigns about tourism potential through marketing mix elements, creating new and strengthening the existing participatory discussion stages, work in collaboration, conducting researches, bringing attitudinal changes can have a significant role regarding with minimizing the challenges and for efficient use of the potentials  of tourism resources.

Keywords: Tourism, Resources, Development, Challenges, Womberma Woreda, West Gojjam zone,

DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/13-5-01

Publication date:March 31^st 2023