Local community participation and tourism development:

Abstract

This research report discusses the impact of local community participation in tourism development in Uganda using a case study of Mt. Elgon national park. To explore this research topic, the report examines three key objectives; the impact of coercive participation by local community in tourism development, the impact of induced participation by local community in tourism development, the impact of spontaneous participation by local community in tourism development. The study is guided by three interrelated research questions; (1) What is the impact of coercive participation in tourism development? (2) What is the impact of induced participation in tourism development? (3) What is the impact of spontaneous participation in tourism development? The study employees exploratory research approach which enables investigation at the community level to bring together perspectives from the grass root level, involvement of multiple stakeholders, decision makers within the community, tourism professionals and the use of surveys, interviews, field observation, questionnaires, document analysis. The data collected was analyzed using statistical package for social science version 2.00 and the study found out that there was positive and significant effect between local community participation and tourism development. The findings revealed that the targeted were both male and female and it found out that male were the majority making 69.4% and female 30.6%, the age bracket of 41 to 50years with the highest percentage of 55.6%, on educational background, the study revealed that diploma holders were (18) with 50%, (8) 22.2% are certificate holders and (6) 16.7% are degree holders. This depicts a community that is formally well educated and likely to make informed decisions on matters relating to tourism development. The correlation and regression analysis found out positive results between local community participation and tourism development. This research study concludes that local community wish to play a role in tourism development, decision making process.