International Cooperation, Community-Based Tourism and Capacity Building: Results from a Mpondoland Village in South Africa

Andrea Giampiccoli

doi:10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n23p657

Andrea Giampiccoli

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n23p657

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Abstract

Capacity building has enjoyed little attention in the tourism literature. This paper attempts to fill this gap with a proposition that capacity building for CBT development should be steeped in the local cultural context and go beyond tourism matters. This paper is a result of literature review, observation and ethnographic experiences in the study area. The paper argues that while tourism specific capacity building and skills are a pre-requisite, the ultimate aim should go beyond ‘technical’ skills to empower individuals as well as the community for holistic community development and well-being. With capacity building, communities are able to embrace community harmony and cohesion and resist co-option for individual gain. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n23p657

Highlights

The concept of community-based tourism (CBT) as an alternative form of tourism has been around since the 1970s (Mitchell and Muckosy 2008:1; Telfer 2009:56; Zapata et al 2011:726)
The European Union (EU) supported project has been implemented in a top-down manner and guided by international consultants (MTR 2003:31; Wright 2005:36; see Kepe, Ntsebeza and Pithers, 2001:1 on various problem related to the Wild Coast Spatial Development Initiatives (SDIs))
The present case study maintains that capacity building in CBT should have dual aims that are connected: first to adequately supply skills that lead to the ownership, management and control of the CBT itself; secondly, such capacity building should be planned and implemented in a way that should be useful beyond CBT by adding value in other community development matters at both individual and at community level

Summary

Introduction

The concept of community-based tourism (CBT) as an alternative form of tourism has been around since the 1970s (Mitchell and Muckosy 2008:1; Telfer 2009:56; Zapata et al 2011:726). Blackstock (2005:40, 41) writes that CBT is guided by neo-liberal strategy instead of promoting empowerment and social justice and “CBT literature is focused on sustaining the tourism industry, unlike community development’s commitment to social justice and empowerment” (on the relation between CBT and neoliberalism see Zapata et al, 2011; Manyara and Jones, 2007; Giampiccoli and Mtapuri, 2012). While community capacity building (CCB) is important, it has received only limited attention in the tourism literature (Aref et al 2009:400) with some examples being present (Aref and Redzuan 2009a, 2009b; Aref et al 2009; Aref, Gill, and Aref 2010; Manyara and Jones 2007; Moscardo 2008)

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