International Journal of Tourism and Travel

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

Alternative Livelihood Options and Sustainable Tourism:The Case of GICH Community Resettlement, Debark/Semin Mountain National Park, Ethiopia


Affiliations
1 Department of Tourism Management, College Business and Economics, University of Gondar, Ethiopia
2 Department of DEMS, College Social Science and Humanities, University of Gondar, Ethiopia
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


The study area being a resettled site for the people, does not have adequate information to survive in such different geographical conditions and lack of knowledge towards new form of businesses limit them to work out for the alternative sources of livelihood . These communities were previously depending upon agriculture for food, income and for their day today survival. The factors prevalent in this resettled site have compelled the community to get involved in unsustainable practices. So, the objective of the study is to look out for an alternative livelihood options for Gich local community of Semin Mountain National Parks (Newly resettled site of Debark). The study is descriptive in its nature and qualitative & quantitative research methodology was adopted. Data collection was done on the basis of personal interviews through questionnaire survey and Focus Group Discussions. Frequency, percentage, average mean, one way ANOVA, independent t-test, one sample test and paired correlation were employed. Local communities which have settled near and around the park have best possible livelihood opportunities such as off-farm activities (carpenter, masonry, house painting, timber house, mill, bakery etc..), small scale agro-based practices like (poultry, livestock rearing, dairy, fruit orchards etc.), tourism product development (handy crafts, traditional coffee, local beer, honey beer, traditional restaurants, traditional music house or “Azmari”, and tourism sector related employment (souvenir shops, chefs, tour guides, guards of hotel, cleaners, housekeepers, porters and raw material suppliers to local restaurants). As stakeholders were not able to solve the resettlement issues of the residents, they were unable to have community associations, lack of electricity and transportation facilities in and around the site which makes local inhabitants dissatisfied about their resettlement.

Keywords

Livelihood, Unsustainable, Semin Mountain, Local Community, Debark, Resettlement.
Subscription Login to verify subscription
User
Notifications
Font Size


  • Addis Ababa University. Author. Retrieved July 16, 2016) Pdf Eva ludi, (2005): Semin mountains study intermediate report on expedition to the Simen Mountains in Northern Ethiopia. Pdf. Author retrieved Sep, 2016.

  • Akama, J., Lant, C., & Burnet, D. (1995). Conflicting attitudes towards state wildlife conservation programme in Kenya. Society and Natural Resources, 8, 133-144.

  • Assegid, A. (2011). Ecotourism as a Sustainable Development Option: Case Study from Bale Mountains National Park. MA Thesis.

  • Duff, R. (2002). A trip too far: Ecotourism, politics and exploitation. Earth Scans Publications Ltd.UK.

  • Hailu, M. (2011). Potentials and Challenges of Alatish and Dinder National Park (Ethiopia, Sudan): Implementing Transboundery Park Cooperation: Master Thesis, Management of Protected Area’s Program, University of Klagenfurt, Austria.

  • Kefyalew, A., Eyayu, M., & Addis, G. (2015). Livestock-wildlife interactions as a threat for community based eco-tourism development at Semin mountains national park, Ethiopia. African Journal of Basic & Applied Sciences, 7(6), 320-327.

  • Kuuder, C., & Wuleka, J. (2012). Community-Based Ecotourism and Livelihood Enhancement in Sirigu, Ghana: University for Development Studies, Department of Ecotourism and Environmental Management. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 2(18).

  • Kumpel, N. F., Milner-Gulland, E. J., Cowlishaw, G., & Rowcliffe, J. M. (2010). Incentives for Hunting: The role of bushmeat in the household economy in rural Equatorial Guinea. Human Ecology, 38, 251-264.

  • Kuvan, Y. (2010). Mass tourism development and deforestation in Turkey. An International Journal of Tourism and Hospitality Research, 21(1).

  • Stolton, S., Hockings, M., Dudley, N., MacKinnon, K., & Whitten, T. (2003). Reporting progress in protected areas: A site level Management effectiveness tracking tool (2nd ed.).

  • Mitchell, N., Slaiby, B., & Benedict, M. (2002). Local community leadership: building partnerships for conservation in North America

  • Marco, K. (n.d). Towards a new Management Plan for the Semin Mountains National Park.

  • Mesele, Y., Afework, B., & Zelealem, T. (2008). Human-Ethiopian Wolf Conflict in and around the Simien Mountains National Park, Ethiopia. International Journal of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, 34(2), 149-155. National Institute of Ecology, New Delhi.

  • Stanton, R. G., & Soukup, M. A. (1999). The National Park Service Action Plan for Preserving Natural Resources, Natural Resource Challenge: U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Washington, D.C .challenge pdf doc. Author. Retrieved July 15, 2016 from http://www.Nature.nps.gov/pdf

  • Sandwith, T., Shine, C., Hamilton, L., & Sheppard, D. (2001). Trans-boundary protected areas for peace and co-operation. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK.

  • Stern, M. J. (2008). The power of trust: Toward a theory of local opposition to neighboring protected areas. Society and Natural Resources.

  • UNEP. (2002). Ecotourism: Principles, Practices and Policies for Sustainability. Retrieved July 20, 2016 from www.ecotourism.org.

  • UNEP. (n.d). Semin mountain National Park. (Retrieved July 20, 2016).

  • UNESCO. (2001). World Heritage Committee Report on the 24th Session of the Committee.

  • Yemane, B. (2011). Community based Ecotourism in Tigray: The case of Aksum: Master Thesis, Development studies of Addis Ababa University School of Graduate Studies College of Development Studies Department of Tourism and Development.

  • Yurdakul, E., Yalcin, K., & Tezcan, Y. (2011). The general characteristics and main problems of national parks in Turkey: Faculty of Forestry, Department of Forest Policy and administration, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey. Author. Retrieved July 15, 2016.

  • Ludi, E. (2005). Semin mountains study intermediate report on expedition to the Simen Mountains in Northern Ethiopia. Retrieved Sep, 2016.

  • Zeppel, H. D. (2006). Indigenous ecotourism: Sustainable development and management. CABI Publishing, North American Office, USA.


Abstract Views: 418

PDF Views: 2




  • Alternative Livelihood Options and Sustainable Tourism:The Case of GICH Community Resettlement, Debark/Semin Mountain National Park, Ethiopia

Abstract Views: 418  |  PDF Views: 2

Authors

Eyobe Mesfin
Department of Tourism Management, College Business and Economics, University of Gondar, Ethiopia
Derje Amene
Department of DEMS, College Social Science and Humanities, University of Gondar, Ethiopia
Ashenafi Tafesse
Department of Tourism Management, College Business and Economics, University of Gondar, Ethiopia

Abstract


The study area being a resettled site for the people, does not have adequate information to survive in such different geographical conditions and lack of knowledge towards new form of businesses limit them to work out for the alternative sources of livelihood . These communities were previously depending upon agriculture for food, income and for their day today survival. The factors prevalent in this resettled site have compelled the community to get involved in unsustainable practices. So, the objective of the study is to look out for an alternative livelihood options for Gich local community of Semin Mountain National Parks (Newly resettled site of Debark). The study is descriptive in its nature and qualitative & quantitative research methodology was adopted. Data collection was done on the basis of personal interviews through questionnaire survey and Focus Group Discussions. Frequency, percentage, average mean, one way ANOVA, independent t-test, one sample test and paired correlation were employed. Local communities which have settled near and around the park have best possible livelihood opportunities such as off-farm activities (carpenter, masonry, house painting, timber house, mill, bakery etc..), small scale agro-based practices like (poultry, livestock rearing, dairy, fruit orchards etc.), tourism product development (handy crafts, traditional coffee, local beer, honey beer, traditional restaurants, traditional music house or “Azmari”, and tourism sector related employment (souvenir shops, chefs, tour guides, guards of hotel, cleaners, housekeepers, porters and raw material suppliers to local restaurants). As stakeholders were not able to solve the resettlement issues of the residents, they were unable to have community associations, lack of electricity and transportation facilities in and around the site which makes local inhabitants dissatisfied about their resettlement.

Keywords


Livelihood, Unsustainable, Semin Mountain, Local Community, Debark, Resettlement.

References