Assessing local community participation in communitybased tourism: The case of the Zulu-Mpophomeni Tourism Experience.

Examining control of community-based tourism projects by local communities can provide a better understanding of how tourism can be beneficial to them. Tosun’s (2000) limitations to community participation has been adopted for the purposes of the study to establish the possible barriers to local community participation in the Zulu-Mpophomeni Tourism Experience (ZMTE). The primary aim of the study is to assess the extent to which the local community of Mpophomeni participates and is involved in the ZMTE. The ZMTE is a CBT initiative that aims to provide visitors with a collective experience incorporating the elements of culture and history. This CBT initiative is made up of various service providers including cultural and township tours, accommodation establishments, arts and crafts which are all locally owned. The inception of ZMTE was influenced by the growth and demand for authentic cultural and township experience by international markets as well as the immediate need to improve the livelihood of the local community. Barriers that hinder active and extensive local participation will be identified as guided by Tosun’s (2000) components, that is, operational limitations, structural limitations and cultural limitations. The growth of tourism activity may cause a number of positive and negative consequences to the area of Mpophomeni and its residents, mainly because the local community is part of the tourism product. The ZMTE is selected as a momentous study area due to its potential for development and has spawned increased interest from various stakeholders within the tourism industry. Its inception has largely improved tourism in the area of Mpophomeni and the province of KwaZuluNatal in particular. It is anticipated that the study will contribute to further encourage community-based tourism at Mpophomeni to ensure sustainable development and improved wellbeing of the local community