Challenges facing community-based tourism resuscitation at Dzimbabwe cultural tourism centre, Zimbabwe: grass-root perspectives

Abstract

Community based tourism has huge potential to transform communities in spaces with limited socioeconomic opportunities mainly in developing countries. With proper management steeped in inclusive approaches, community based tourism can be a strategy to diversify communities’ sources of livelihoods and sustenance. However, this form of tourism continues to face multiple challenges. Grounded in a grass root perspective, the study examines the challenges of resuscitating community based tourism at Dzimbabwe cultural tourism centre in Zimbabwe. The study is based on 30 interview surveys conducted with Dzimbabwe cultural tourism centre stakeholders selected through purposive sampling procedures, and augmented with on-site observations. Thematically analysed findings revealed that the resuscitation of Dzimbabwe cultural tourism is harm strung by many challenges most notably internecine conflict over use of resources, unviable and shrinking market, and weak accountability and governance systems. The study recommended redesigning of the conflict resolution mechanism, leveraging on the domestic tourism market, and reconstituting the composition of the cultural centre’s management committee members, coupled with continuous training to resolve the challenges.