When Rural Tourism Development Stalls: A Community and Local Authority Perspective on Expectations and Challenges

Abstract

Community involvement in decision-making is significant for rural tourism development. However, tourism development faces challenges and obstacles, leading to incomplete development initiatives. This study focused on a South African rural community where there has been no progress in development for over a decade, to understand community perceptions, expectations, and challenges arising from this lack of development. A community meeting discussion was held with 55 community members and leadership from government structures. The thematic analysis yielded three themes: general perceptions, expectations and challenges. The perception of rural tourism development was generally positive, driven by expectations of economic gain through employment and entrepreneurship, while the major challenges were leadership conflicts and conflicts within the community itself. The results of this study show that challenges are not limited to governance but encompass issues related to the community itself. Therefore, policy development and strategy implementation should be context specific.