Tourism Potentials and Community-Based Ecotourism (CBET) Development: The Case of Choke Mountain and its Environs, Ethiopia
Presenter's country
Ethiopia
Start Date
27-5-2016 11:25 AM
End Date
27-5-2016 12:30 PM
Location
Hall I
Submission type
Presentation
Abstract
Choke Mountain is the source of more than 23 major rivers and 273 streams, water tower of Nile Basin countries. However, the ecosystems are being highly threatened due to land degradation triggered by human and natural factors. Hence, this study was focused on assessment of tourism potentials for ecotourism development for rehabilitating the ecosystems. Mixed research and descriptive design was employed and the data were collected via, questionnaire, interview, FGD, and field observation. The quantitative data were analyzed via SPSS v16 and qualitative data were analyzed via content analysis. The result revealed that Choke Mountain is endowed with diversified tourism potentials such as Aba Jime forests, four stepped mountains, Molalit cave, Lake Bahire Giyorgies; plant, animal, and bird species accompanying with both tangible and intangible heritage tourism resources (Merto le Mariyam, Debre Worq, Dima monastery, and Washa Giyorgies Filfil church), history of Belay Zeleke and associated values and hospitality.Poor infrastructure, inadequate awareness, poor conservation, weak co-ordination and partnership of stakeholders, poor promotion and population growth were the major challenges. Diversified tourism potentials, special attentions from conservation agencies, and accessibility of the historic routes were the major opportunities of the area to develop ecotourism. Therefore, community-based ecotourism is a means of improving the livelihood of the people in Choke Mountain and its environs. Moreover, the findings noted that the local community could provide accommodation facilities and tour services, supplies agricultural products (like beef, poultry, dairy, honey, and vegetable and other crop products), produce handicraft goods, and performing different cultural shows.
Keywords
Choke Mountain and its Environs, Community-Based Ecotourism, and Tourism Potentials
Tourism Potentials and Community-Based Ecotourism (CBET) Development: The Case of Choke Mountain and its Environs, Ethiopia
Hall I
Choke Mountain is the source of more than 23 major rivers and 273 streams, water tower of Nile Basin countries. However, the ecosystems are being highly threatened due to land degradation triggered by human and natural factors. Hence, this study was focused on assessment of tourism potentials for ecotourism development for rehabilitating the ecosystems. Mixed research and descriptive design was employed and the data were collected via, questionnaire, interview, FGD, and field observation. The quantitative data were analyzed via SPSS v16 and qualitative data were analyzed via content analysis. The result revealed that Choke Mountain is endowed with diversified tourism potentials such as Aba Jime forests, four stepped mountains, Molalit cave, Lake Bahire Giyorgies; plant, animal, and bird species accompanying with both tangible and intangible heritage tourism resources (Merto le Mariyam, Debre Worq, Dima monastery, and Washa Giyorgies Filfil church), history of Belay Zeleke and associated values and hospitality.Poor infrastructure, inadequate awareness, poor conservation, weak co-ordination and partnership of stakeholders, poor promotion and population growth were the major challenges. Diversified tourism potentials, special attentions from conservation agencies, and accessibility of the historic routes were the major opportunities of the area to develop ecotourism. Therefore, community-based ecotourism is a means of improving the livelihood of the people in Choke Mountain and its environs. Moreover, the findings noted that the local community could provide accommodation facilities and tour services, supplies agricultural products (like beef, poultry, dairy, honey, and vegetable and other crop products), produce handicraft goods, and performing different cultural shows.