Community Based Tourism
Finding the Euilibrium in the COMCEC Context
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Tourism in Cape Verde has experienced success through CBT initiatives and seems to be a
driving force in the economic development of the island. Locals and government officials
have developed a preliminary goal in the early phases of the program to ensure that the
revenue generated through tourism related activities has a direct economic impact on the
locals. Government officials have initiated a research effort in order to further understand
what motivates tourists to come to the Island. Thus far, they have learned that the majority
of tourists visit the island for leisure purposes and to experience the culture of the island
people. The research has also revealed that the majority of the tourists who come to the
island use restaurant and food services provided by family businesses. The tourists
(although to a lesser extent) also use the home-stay accommodations. However, the use of
other CBT activities such as sporting activities and tour guides is not yet sufficient. The
interesting research component from this case study is that the research by the
government officials reveals that tourists who use services provided by the community
enterprises indicate that they will use them again because the service quality is superior
when compared to other kinds of businesses.
Source: (López-Guzmán, Borges, and Castillo-Canalejo, 2011)
SNV is one of those organizations that invested much time, effort and finances in guiding
less developed places and locals for economic and community development, including CBT
initiatives. SNV had several development projects in Botswana for 25 years, ending in 2003.
Many of their projects are targeted towards underprivileged societies such as Kalahari
Bushmen. Therefore their initiatives are fit for placement on the exploration stage of the
Destination Life Cycle. SNV has been involved in CBT development in /Xai-/Xai since 1994
to empower a small community of Bushmen to have control of their development by using
their natural resources sustainable.
The village of /Xai-/Xai is in Controlled Hunting Area NG4, north-west of Botswana, the
community managing the wildlife and natural resources of two Controlled Hunting Areas
(NG4 and NG5). At the time, about 400 people lived in /Xai-/Xai, 80% Ju/'hoansi Bushmen
(San or Basarwa), and 20% Baherero (a cattle-herding group from Namibia), and
government workers. /Xai-/Xai was a traditional water and trade center for the Bushmen,
who have settled in /Xai-/Xai since the late 1970s.
Hunting and gathering are still basic livelihood activities however, they cannot be thought
as primitive people’ since they conform to Western standards of dress code, diet,
CASE 10 – Botswana: /Xai /Xai Bushmen
Best Practice Point: Research on tourists
Research efforts initiated by the local government officials pertaining to why tourists
engage in CBT experiences and what products/services are being used by tourists who
visit a destination provided valuable insight for developing a successful CBT program.