Research on Tourism as a Tool for Poverty Reduction (Pro-Poor Tourism)

Transcription

1 Research on Tourism as a Tool for Poverty Reduction (Pro-Poor Tourism) Dr Dorothea Meyer Centre for International Tourism Research (CITouR) Sheffield Hallam University d.meyer@shu.ac.uk

2 Structure Research perspectives Current research projects (in partic. collaborative research projects) Some ideas for future research

3 The current situation A general absence of PPT practice/discussions in the existing tourism literature; Limited use by PPT practitioners of theoretical ideas/approaches; A generally negative perception among academics about tourism s ability to aid poverty reduction; Academics generally focusing on macro-economic leakages in line with a rather one-sided political economy approach; Practitioners focusing on micro level implementation and how to? manuals; Maybe time to learn from each other.maybe a time for knowledge based APPLIED RESEARCH?*

4 Tourism as a tool for poverty reduction? - the academic view pro anti 70s Liberalism 80s Early 90s Sust/altern tourism Pol economy / dependency Late 90s CBT Early 00s Critique of sust/eco/alt tourism mid 00s PPT etc

5 Tourism as a tool for poverty reduction? - the practitioners pro anti 70s Liberalism 80s Early 90s Sust/altern Sust.rural tourism dev. Pol economy / dependency Late 90s Early 00s CBNRM CBT CBT PPT Critique of sust/eco/alt tourism mid 00s Private sect Public sect PPT etc

6 The focus of academics. Global Structures (political economy) Spatial analysis impact studies & (neg) impacts Conservation and sustainable development Community participation Eco-tourism policy research largely missing (among others): local voices private sector focus tourist experiences*

7 . and practitioners and donors? Capacity building: training programmes, organisational set-up, joint ventures (SNV, GTZ etc) Product development - diversification: CTP-SNV, Kenya Tourism Trust Fund, STEP Value-chain analysis e.g. SNV, ODI, GTZ Access to markets (marketing): GTZ (alternative travel fair), SAT - WTM Policy advise: ODI, SNV, GTZ, Travel Foundation, STEP, UNCTAD Industry guidelines: GTZ, ODI, Travel Foundation, TOI, STEP Intersectoral linkages: Oxfam Caribbean missing: broader structural and detailed context studies

8 "while there is clearly an important place for thorough analysis and critique of problems associated with tourism development, there is also a time and a place to start looking for constructive approaches to tourism which can benefit local people and their environments." (Scheyvens 2002:xv).

9 My Research focus since 2001: Pro-Poor Tourism (tourism as a tool for poverty reduction) Linkages between the mainstream tourism industry and poor neighbours Inter-sectoral linkages Poverty reduction and biodiversity human-wildlife conflict Developmental impacts of Foreign Direct Investment Political economy of tourism Gender issues and poverty reduction related to tourism*

10 problems: limited availability of funding for expensive research trips to Africa un-official networks but nothing formal limited research capacity in SSA limited opportunities to define a common research agenda and to apply jointly for external funding to donors limited interaction between academia and external tourism stakeholders to formulate a research agenda that is actually relevant*

11 external stakeholders Research agenda setting Research training Joint research Joint proposal writing Joint publications DELPHE EPA EDULINK

12 DelPHE Pro-Poor Tourism Research Capacity Building and Knowledge Exchange for East-Africa Aim: to enable HEIs to act as catalysts for poverty reduction and sustainable development. Funding: DfID managed by British Council, 100k Timing:36 months Sept 08 to Aug 2011 Partners: - Makerere University (Uganda) -- LEAD - Moi University (Kenya) - University of Dar Es Salaam (Tanzania) - School of Finance and Banking (Rwanda) - Wageningen University (The Netherlands) - Sheffield Hallam University(UK)

13 DelPHE: Pro-Poor Tourism Research Capacity Building and Knowledge Exchange for East-Africa Our approach: Research Capacity Building via joint research leading to joint publications (RAE.) Activities: - funding for at least 3 joint field work trips for all partners (research capacity building) - 3 partner meetings for research discussions in EA - 2 CPD workshops with key industry stakeholders in EA Year 1: - partner meeting and stakeholder workshop in Kampala (Oct 08) - exploratory joint field work (MAK, WU, SHU) in Bwindi (Oct 08) - joint field work (SHU, WU, MAK, MOI, SFB, Dar) April - June 09 - research ideas/preliminary results presentation during ATLAS Africa conference in Gaborone (Botswana) July 09 - second partner meeting and stakeholder workshop in Kigali (Rwanda) (July 09)

14 Aim: Funding: African-European Academic Alliance for Sustainable Tourism Development, Environmental Sustainability and Poverty Reduction to foster capacity building and regional integration in higher education in ACP States and Regions, and to promote higher education as a means of reducing poverty. ACP-EU Partnerships in Higher Education (EDF, EC), Euro 500k Timing: 30 months Jan 09 July 2011 Partners: University of Botswana Botswana MOI University Kenya University of Namibia Namibia School of Finance and Banking of the University of Rwanda University of Dar es Salaam Tanzania Makerere University Uganda University of Pretoria South Africa Sheffield Hallam University United Kingdom University of Oulu Finland Wageningen University - Netherlands LEAD

15 Aim: Increased competitiveness and excellence of Southern and Eastern African Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in research and education in the overlapping fields of sustainable tourism development, environmental sustainability and poverty reduction. Activities: - Academic networking of 7 African and 3 European HEIs for joint research development and knowledge transfer - Capacity building of academic staff and PG/PhD students through professional development, coaching, exchanges and on-the job-training (i.e. joint fieldwork); - Development and adaptation of Continuous Professional Development educational modules for each partner HEI ; - Facilitation of linkages with the relevant African and international not forprofit, public and private sectors.

16 Education Partnerships for Africa Aim: Pro-Poor Tourism Education Partnership Network for East Africa EPA facilitates partnerships between English FE and HE institutions and sub-saharan African universities and education and training institutions which build institutional capacity with the aim of delivering employability skills in collaboration with local employers and social enterprises. Funding: DIUS managed by BC 60K Timing: 18 months April 09 Oct 2010 Partners: MOI University Kenya School of Finance and Banking - Rwanda University of Dar Es Salaam Tanzania Makerere University Uganda Sheffield Hallam University United Kingdom (LEAD)

17 Education Partnerships for Africa Aim: to work with the key tourism stakeholders in East Africa (public, private and third sector) in the development of a sustainable platform for continuous dialogue and continuous professional development (CPD) initiatives. A key focus is on sharing knowledge and expertise on how the tourism industry can effectively contribute to poverty reduction in the East African partner countries by developing innovative approaches to research. Activities: - A skills and employability needs assessment for the tourism industry in East Africa; - Two regional workshops (one in Rwanda, one in Tanzania) to develop a sustainable collaborative network between HEIs and the key tourism industry stakeholders and social enterprises. - The development of the professional skills and international competencies of faculty of HEIs in East Africa through the development of industry-led research and education initiatives - The development of a sustainable communication platform between HEIs and tourism stakeholders in East Africa.

18 Key Issues : Some don t pay staff costs (i.e. DELPHE) Some have very elaborate application procedures (i.e. EDULINK) difficulties in managing African universities financial issues such exchange rate fluctuations Biggest problem: getting signatures internally... Useful: Good contacts with donors. strong relationships with partner unis i.e. trust re finance Ability/willingness to take the lead Strong EU network

19 Other key research topics re the private sector and in particular SMME development are: entrepreneurial culture? push or pull? Obstacles? Survival and/or growth strategies? role of women in entrepreneurship - obstacles? the role of the informal sector? Obstacles to collaboration between the formal and informal sector? Power relationships the political economy plus agencystructure relationships*

20 But apart from that it is time to move on and to maybe focus on: qualitative research, ethnographical research to hear local voices (which seem strangely absent) - what about: a strong gender focus an agency-structure focus a focus on employees in this industry a focus on impacted residents and of course, tourists themselves and their experiences, expectations, and dreams

21 Thank You!. Any questions?