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Strategic planning for pro-poor tourism : a case study of Livingstone, Zambia

University of British Columbia

Tourism is a booming industry in Livingstone, Zambia. Over the past decade, an influx of foreign investment has completely transformed the local economy, contributing to a meteoric rise in tourist arrivals, expenditures, and new businesses. This has provided more jobs to the local workforce, created more opportunities for small business, and produced greater government revenues. As a result, the Zambian government has made tourism one of its highest priority development sectors. As large-scale tourism is a recent phenomenon in Livingstone, both the national and local governments have been forced to respond retroactively to the needs and effects of the growing sector. This has led to a policy framework for tourism that is largely uncoordinated and inconsistent, and in some cases outdated. With the approval of Zambia's Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper in 2003, there is now an additional mandate to include the promotion of poverty reduction within government tourism sector activities. The following thesis provides an examination of the tourism economy in Livingstone, Zambia - identifying opportunities for promoting poverty reduction through this growing sector. Using a strategic planning approach adopted by UN-Habitat, this paper identifies and prioritizes objectives and opportunities for pro-poor tourism in Livingstone. This begins with the compilation of tourism and poverty related data outlined in a situation assessment, followed by an analysis of key stakeholders active in the sector. A broad vision is then established and key issues and objectives are identified and streamlined. Using simple decision-analysis tools' to structure and assess alternatives, potential pro-poor tourism opportunities are then assessed in relation to the objectives. The four-highest ranking opportunities were chosen for further analysis. They are listed below according to rank. 1. Small business support - including business development services, registration and licensing, informal sector activity, and issues of land tenure and title. 2. Credit and Finance - including expanded micro-credit programming 3. Marketing - including pro-poor and SME marketing programs and a sustainable tourism certification program 4. Training and Capacity Building - including the expansion of public sector programs and the monitoring and regulation of private sector activities. 1 Decision analysis is a discipline that comprises the philosophies, theories, methodologies, and professional practices for addressing important decisions in a formal manner (Howard, 1984).

Text

2011-02-22

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/31602

Planning

University of British Columbia

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