Sustainable tourism development in Eritrea : assessing the potential of the tourism industry as an asset to economic development and poverty alleviation in Massawa and the Dahlak Archipelago
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Issue Date
2017-05-05
Authors
Haile, Aman
License
Subject
Coastal
Economic development
Eritrea
Poverty alleviation
Sustainable Development Goals
Sustainable tourism
Economic development
Eritrea
Poverty alleviation
Sustainable Development Goals
Sustainable tourism
Abstract
Sustainable tourism is increasingly becoming recognized as an important economic asset for developing countries, with three tourism specific targets established in the 2015-2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, there is a significant dearth in empirical and context-specific research on the role of tourism in developing countries. This research undertakes a destination-specific assessment in Eritrea’s Massawa City and the adjacent Dahlak Archipelago to examine the potential for sustainable tourism development to contribute towards economic growth and poverty alleviation. The research adapts the Tourism Assessment Process (TAP) to conduct key informant interviews with local stakeholders and over 700 resident and visitor surveys in the target destinations to understand local and tourist perceptions towards the capacity of the tourism sector to sustainably contribute to the well-being of local communities and the surrounding environment, and compete in the international market.
Key words: Sustainable tourism, poverty alleviation, economic development, Eritrea, Massawa, Dahlak, SDG