Achievements- Desk research, where a literature review was conducted on
partnerships / inter-organizational collaboration, local economic
development, CSR, decentralization and participation / stakeholder
theory.
- A theoretical framework has been developed. It has been
determined that the study will have as the independent variable factors
affecting tourism partnerships: the level of commitment, clarity of
objectives and roles, the level of accountability and transparency as
well as the level of organization at the community and district level.
An intervening variable is the partnership model – we will consider
three different models which currently exist in Northern Tanzania in
our research: (i) the Wildlife Management Agreement (WMA) involving the
central and district government, villages and companies; (ii) the
hunting model involving the central and district government with a
private company; and (iii) the photographic tourism model involving
villages and a tour company. We will carry out the research in three
different districts. The dependent variable is sustainable development,
and we also will consider the effect of the partnership on institutions.
- Interviews
have been conducted with various key actors in tourism partnerships
including the Longido District tourism officer, the Elerai village
chairman and village council, a representative from a tourism company,
Kibo Guides, which partnered with Elerai village, the Principal Game
Officer from the Tanzania Wildlife Division, a Monitoring &
Evaluation officer from African Wildlife Fund (AWF) an NGO which has
facilitated the formation of partnerships through WMAs, a Senior
Advisor on Private Sector Dev./Tourism of SNV, a Netherlands NGO also
facilitating partnerships in the WMA; and representatives from two
separate hunting safari companies.
- Visits to Longido District offices, the game controlled area in Longido District and Elerai village – 2 visits.
- A
visit to Kenya and interviews with Eco-tourism Kenya on tourism
partnerships there for comparative purposes with cases in Tanzania. We
visited Porini Mara Camp and Basecamp Kenya where interviews were held
with representatives from the lodges on their partnership with
villages. Interviews were also held with village members from two
separate villages on the effect of partnerships on their quality of
life.
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