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

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