"Tourism Is for Foreigners": Resident Views About Community Participation in Zambia's Tourist Capital

Abstract

This study investigates community tourism participation in Livingstone city—"the tourist capital" of Zambia—drawing upon 263 semistructured household interviews, several key informant interviews, and desk analysis. The results show that over half of the residents (57%) do believe that they participate in tourism in Livingstone. The participation levels were lowest (32%) in the case of low income households. Tourism participation was "framed" by residents as occurring through the medium of employment or from engagement in income generating activities, and not through visiting tourist sites for leisure purposes. Any community participation in local governance structures was passive and tokenistic, with residents being recipients of information about decisions that had already been made at the center and had then "trickled down" to the periphery. The researchers conclude that implementation of initiatives are needed to enhance community participation in tourism-related decision making, in income generation, and employment. These changes would lead to more favorable tourism perceptions among residents.