Community Based Tourism
Finding the Euilibrium in the COMCEC Context
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accommodation, work and education. Cgaecgae Tlhabololo Trust (CTT) had some tourism
activities displaying Bushmen's knowledge and skills of the Kalahari wildlife (animals and
plants) that aimed to sustain the traditions and culture of the Bushman. In 1992, /Xai-/Xai
community requested SNV to start a community-based, natural resources management
(CBNRM) project, which started in 1994 by SNV posting a natural resources management
advisor to /Xai-/Xai.
The advisor faced major problems in dealing with the Bushmen (marginalized), and the
Baherero (economically powerful owning production means). SNV organized development
activities in collaboration with Cgaecgae Tlhabololo Trust. Village level and household level
forums were held to sensitize and raise locals’ awareness and participation. These forums
took almost four years, revealing that the CBNRM idea was not clear in locals’ mind.
So the decision was made to start in 1995 with a self-help crafts organization, !Kokoro
Crafts, a cooperative still functioning in /Xai-/Xai. This co-operative was acting as
middleman, buying from artisans, and selling to a store in a major tourist hub, Maun. It had
about 80 members, 75% being women. Men provided raw materials of animal skins and
ostrich eggshells by collecting them through hunting expeditions. The cooperative was a
start-up to familiarize the locals using a familiar activity, which turned into an important
source of income for the elder and for female-headed households. This was followed by
several other activities leading to CBT development including:
 !Kokoro Semausu (streetvendor) as a spin-off activity from !Kokoro Crafts, a co-
operative to offer food and household commodities to the community and to gain the
experience of operation of a commercial enterprise.
 The interim Quota Management Committee was established in 1996, gaining control of
the quota for NG4 and NG5 (the zone /Xai-/Xai was managing).
 The Cgaecgae Tlhabololo Trust was legally registered in 1997, after filing its Notarial
Deed of Trust (constitution).
 A plan for land-use and management plan was drawn up through participatory
meetings with the entire /Xai-/Xai community in 1996 and 1997.
 Tourism /Xai-/Xai developed into two general categories: trophy-hunting, through a
safari operator, and community-based, cultural tourism.
 A joint-venture (hunting) agreement with Komtsa Safaris providing most of the running
costs of the Cgaecgae Tlhabololo Trust, and seasonal jobs to residents.
 In 1997, the community started photographic cultural-tourism packages.
Products and Attractions: Culture, dancing, singing, crafts, food-gathering, storytelling,
and hunting and photographic safaris.
Challenges:
 Lack of infrastructure-roads, phone, electricity
 Lack of education, language skills