ECOTOURISM AS A DRIVER FOR ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY IN NORTHERN ETHIOPIA, A CASE OF LAKE ZENGENA

Abstract

Ecotourism industry today like any others sectors contribute for country development, conservation, through generating funds for protected areas, creating employment opportunities for local communities, and offering environmental education, increasing government revenue’s, through visitors use fee, business owner’s tax and donation, international comparison, appreciation and local pride and stronger economy. Ethiopia is prosperous with natural visitor’s attraction; however, the country is poor. Due to many reason, Difference human interest over illegal use of resources, like, grazing, hunting and increasing farming. Maximum Ethiopian ecotourism destination not principle of community based ecotourism activities and absence of visitor’s facilities in tourist destination areas. To reduce this problem, it needs exertion of government, NGO, S and private sectors involve. The main objective of the study is to examine ecotourism as a driver for economic sustainability in Banja woreda of Northern Ethiopia. The researcher was used purposive sampling technique, and used questionnaires, depth interview, and document analysis. The research used analysis both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The research finding revealed that ecotourism is a viable option for economic sustainability of the study in terms job creation, government revenue, and investment opportunities in Banja woreda. In explicit terms, ecotourism creates job for 539 individuals, birr 1,448,575 for government income in 2013-2022 and boots to invite 83 investors for providing tourism and hospitality services. The research findings further showed that ecotourism has huge benefits for the study area. However, the researcher suggested that the Culture and tourism office responsible body should be encouraging community empowerment to open their own business in the formal and informal sectors in order to more increasing economic significance of ecotourism in woreda.