scholarly journals HANDICRAFT INDUSTRY CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN CULTURAL TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN MACHAKOS COUNTY, KENYA

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 265-275
Author(s):  
Kibiro Eunice ◽  
Muhoro Grieveesbon Mwangi

Purpose: This study investigated the roles of handicraft industries in cultural tourism development in Machakos County. Machakos County is home to Kenya’s oldest and biggest handicraft industry. The handicraft industry comprises of wood carvers and basket weavers in Mwala and Yatta constituencies’. Methodology: The study utilized qualitative research approach using an exploratory research design. The study population composed of wood carvers, craft cooperative officials and basket weavers drawn from two weavers’ community organizations in Machakos County. These are Yatta South Women Group and Muli Kyondo. The study employed unstructured interviews where focus group discussions, in-depth face to face interview were utilized to gather views directly from the respondents. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the data. Main findings: The findings of the research revealed that cultural resources have long been providing employment for the local community. Implications: The study, therefore, recommends that both the national and local government should collaborate with the local community in development and planning of cultural resources so as to ensure sustainability of the industry. This would, in turn, increase the competitiveness of Machakos County as a tourist destination. Novelty: Kenya’s tourism and in particular Machakos cultural tourism product plays a vital role both in the rural areas as well as in urban areas in ensuring sustainability of resources in a number of ways that include social-cultural, economic as well as environmental.

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thijs van der Knaap ◽  
Jan Smelik ◽  
Floor de Jong ◽  
Peter Spreeuwenberg ◽  
Peter P. Groenewegen

Abstract Background In the Netherlands as well as in other countries citizens take initiatives to provide or maintain services in the area of care and welfare. Citizens’ initiatives (CI’s) are organisations some of which have a formal structure while others are informally connected groups of citizens, that are established by a group of citizens with the aim to increase the health and welfare within their local community and that are not focused on making a profit. Although CI’s have been around since at least the 1970’s little research has been done on the phenomenon, with most of it consisting of case studies or qualitative exploratory research. To fill part of this gap in knowledge, we have studied the geographical variation in the presence of CI’s in the Netherlands and tried to explain this variation. Methods Data on the presence of CI’s were obtained by combining two existing inventories. We did an ecological regression analysis to test hypotheses about the relationship between the presence of CI’s and the existence of a care vacuum, the capacity for self-organisation and models of action in local communities. Results We counted 452 CI’s in care and welfare in the Netherlands in January 2016. Our results show a spatial concentration of care initiatives in urban areas in the Randstad cities in the west of the country and in rural areas in the south-east. The presence of CI’s is only weakly associated with a care vacuum, but is related to indicators for the capacity of concerted action and models of action. Conclusion There are by now a considerable number of CI’s in the area of care and welfare in the Netherlands. Apparently, citizens take collective initiatives to provide services that are not, or no longer, available to the local community. The initiatives are concentrated in certain parts of the country. However, our theoretical model to explain this geographical pattern is only partially confirmed.


Many potential destinations are rich in cultural resources. As cultural tourism becomes increasingly important for communities to showcase their cultural capital, it is vital to assess how cultural tourists can be better understood and serviced through planning and marketing to attract more international visitors. The marketing funnel process can help policymakers understand the critical components of tourists’ visiting behavior. The process conceptualizes the process of how a consumer purchases a product or service from awareness through to purchase. We augment this marketing funnel process by also noting the importance of post-consumption evaluation: the likelihood to recommend. Cultural heritage tourism is an important feature of India’s tourism. Murshidabad, a district of West Bengal, India, situated on the bank of Bhagirathi River, is 220 kilometres away from the State capital, Kolkata. Murshidabad has a large number of cultural resources, both tangible and intangible. The study explores the cultural resources and their potential availability in Murshidabad. This will determine the scope of cultural heritage tourism development. This research assesses tourists’ awareness, visitation, and likelihood to recommend cultural heritage resources in Murshidabad. It also assesses residents’ perceptions towards cultural heritage tourism development as well as the community’s participation level in cultural tourism development. This research uses a quantitative method to sample both tourists and the local community. The findings reveal strong support for cultural tourism development among the local community and high willingness to recommend many cultural attractions, although promotion and awareness of some attractions can be improved.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 198-217
Author(s):  
T. Venugopalan

This research paper explores the economic, environmental, and socio-cultural sustainability of Delhi tourism from the perspective of tourists. Primary research was conducted among tourists based on a structured questionnaire at various tourist places across Delhi. This research paper used exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and structural equation modelling (SEM) for examining and analysing the sustainability of tourism. The research findings on environmental pressure (EP) validate that tourism has been exerting huge pressure on the environment. The environment management (EM) system adopted by the tourism industry has failed in mitigating the adverse impacts of tourism and achieving environmental sustainability. The findings about economic empowerment (EP) prove that tourism has failed to achieve economic sustainability by empowering the local community. The destination governance (DG) mechanisms are directly contributing to the sustainability of tourist places. However, the findings on socio-cultural pressure (SP) fail to substantiate the argument that tourism is putting huge pressure on socio-cultural sustainability. Thus, tourism development in Delhi is not conducive to achieving environmental, economic, and social sustainability. Hence, the government should adopt proactive measures to mitigate the adverse impacts of tourism on the environment and economy integrating local communities while formulating and implementing tourism plans and programmes.


2012 ◽  
Vol 253-255 ◽  
pp. 821-824
Author(s):  
Fan Zhang ◽  
Ning Wang ◽  
Qian Li

With the rapid development of urbanization, more intensive urban buildings and crowded space resulted in the declining of the environmental quality in urban areas, and also eroding the natural and cultural resources both in urban and rural areas, which requested the desires for healthy living and natural environment. Greenway, with the low-carbon to meet people's desire, is a dedicated “way” linking the urban, natural and cultural landscape. With ecological protection, exercise, recreation and leisure, historical and cultural continuity, and other functions, it is one of the special low-carbon spaces. Greenway, sharing and integration of urban and rural resources, plays the role of effective protection of urban and rural local cultural and ecological environment. The design of the Shanhaiguan Greenway, for example, is not only to meet the basic requirements of the greenway, but also combined with the history and culture, to further Improve the urban quality of the historical and cultural city of Shanhaiguan and build an urban and rural low-carbon space.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-39
Author(s):  
Daniela Chimirri

Purpose While tourism scholars have increasingly recognized the significance of collaboration as an essential element in tourism development, there is a lack of theoretical and empirical research centering on (trans)local collaboration as a central means for future tourism development in Greenland. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the conceptual and analytic potentials and challenges of collaboration in an explorative case study. Design/methodology/approach The paper applies a case study approach to scrutinize collaboration in the setting of a tourism workshop in South Greenland. This research approach is exploratory in nature and focuses on collaborative activities among participants from different research institutions and countries, from Campus Kujalleq in Qaqortoq, from small-scale enterprises and businesses, managers of destination marketing organizations and local fishermen. Findings Four “collaborative configurations” emerged during the workshop. These inspire and challenge ways of (re)conceptualizing collaborative tourism development in South Greenland and call for the reconsideration of the present approach toward tourism development for shaping new possible future(s) of tourism in the Greenlandic context. Originality/value The relevance of this paper emerges from the crucial significance that tourism actors in Greenland credit collaboration. Moreover, by approaching development issues from within and mutually developing possible practice solutions through collaboration with local tourism actors, the paper aims to give voice to the local community, which currently is lacking in the debate on tourism development in Greenland.


2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alyson Haslam ◽  
Rebecca Nesbit ◽  
Robert K. Christensen

AbstractNonprofit organizations have the potential to influence public health by filling voids not filled by government or private organizations. Here we investigate whether the presence of health-related nonprofit organizations at the local community level helps to improve community-level obesity. This study used a time-series design using a random effects model to determine whether the entrance or exits of health nonprofits at the county level was associated with lower obesity rates in the US one and two years following the entrance or departures of nonprofits. The effect was small but significant in urban areas, with a smaller effect in rural areas. Our findings suggest that the presence of health nonprofits is associated with positive health outcomes, in this case obesity. The plausibility may be explained through the increased role nonprofits play in fostering social capital and increased promotion of health-related issues.


2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 173-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ecem Ince ◽  
Deniz Iscioglu ◽  
Ali Ozturen

Purpose Sustainability concept exists in the soul of the Cittaslow (slow city) philosophy. This protest movement is mainly based on the philosophy of sustainability by promoting the “slowness” perspective and the concept of sustainable development at the local level. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impacts of Cittaslow (slow city) philosophy on support for sustainable tourism development in North Cyprus. In this context, this research study is concentrated on the influences of Cittaslow practices on support for sustainable tourism development with dimensions in terms of socio-cultural, economic and ecological aspects. Design/methodology/approach This study was based on a quantitative research approach to observe the significant effects and meet the objectives. The data were collected randomly by self-administrated questionnaires from residents who are living in the slow cities (Yeni Bogaziçi, Mehmetçik, Lefke, Geçitkale and Tatlisu) at North Cyprus. Findings The partial least squares approach to the structural equation model was used to analyze the data. The research results were discussed the critical issues and consequences in the management of slow cities. Originality/value The slow city concept is a very significant movement that emphasizes the importance of local differences and sustainability. There is a lack of knowledge about the effects of Cittaslow membership and efforts on sustainable tourism development in North Cyprus. The critical factors and implications were pinpointed for enhancing sustainable tourism development in slow cities.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (22) ◽  
pp. 9438 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dunja Demirović Bajrami ◽  
Adriana Radosavac ◽  
Marija Cimbaljević ◽  
Tatiana N. Tretiakova ◽  
Yulia A. Syromiatnikova

One of the key factors for success of sustainable tourism industry in all areas, including rural, is the support of community members. The paper aims to analyze how rural residents’ perceptions of sustainable tourism development (expressed through economic, social, environmental, and physical benefits) can affect residents’ intentions to support tourism. The second aim was to determine if attachment to the particular community and perceived quality of life can have influence on attitudes towards sustainable development of tourism in rural communities. Using a sample of 881 residents living in rural areas of the Republic of Serbia, the results highlighted that perceived values of tourism were important for evaluating how tourism is developed, if it is sustainable for a community, and how it affects quality of residents’ life. The study provided better understanding of factors that can have impact on residents’ attitudes in relation to tourism and highlighted the importance of paying attention to local community as significant player for tourism development, especially in those regions that want to boost its economy by developing sustainable tourism.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 485 ◽  
Author(s):  
T.Titi WIDANINGSIH ◽  
Rahtika DIANA ◽  
Arry RAHAYUNIANTO

The Setu Babakan tourism area has been designated as a Betawi cultural tourism area by the Provincial Government of DKI Jakarta in 2000. Setu Babakan has three tourism objects culture, nature and agro. It has been established as a cultural heritage for more than 15 years, but the level of tourist visits still low. This research will analyze factors of Community-Based Cultural Tourism Development in the Setu Babakan tourism area, both tourism object factors and community participation include several dimensions, (1) objects, (2) access, (3) facilities, (4) participation, (5) support, (6) benefits, (7) revenue. The study was conducted by distributing 81 questionnaires to surrounding community in the area. The results of the MDS analysis in dimensions of the attractions are in the good category of 80.57. Dimensions of access, infrastructure, community support for tourism development, public attitudes towards tourists are in the good categories of 84.64, 80.39, 81.87, and 75.62. Dimension of community participation and benefits perceived by the community is in the unfavorable category of 44.69% and 46.29. Community involvement needs to be increased so it can increase tourist visits. The sustainability of Setu Babakan as a cultural tourism area is maintained because the existence of it can really be felt by the local community.


2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 218
Author(s):  
Janko Mursak ◽  
Jasna Mazgon

The local schools have always been the centers of the cultural and social life of the Slovenian communities. Functioning as a socio-cultural center of the local community, the school greatly surpassed its primary role of providing education to children. The process of urbanization that reached rural areas as well as the secularization of lifestyles brought about very interesting changes to the previously expanded function of local schools. In the research study we conducted in 2014 and 2015 we examined how contemporary schools perceive the need for collaboration and participation in their local environments. The results of qualitative analysis indicate that merging or closing of local schools could have negative demographic and socio-cultural consequences. Furthermore, the analysis has also revealed the underused potential of the localities lacking tradition, such as new urban areas where the school could be the crucial element in the social organization of the local community.


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