STATUS, CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS OF TOURISM INDUSTRY IN KONSO

Abstract

The present study assessed the Status, Challenges and prospects of tourism industry in Konso Woreda, Segen Zone, Southern Ethiopia. The main objective of the study was to assess the challenges of tourism industry and its prospects in Konso Woreda. To achieve the objective, the researcher used a survey design. The primary data were collected through questionnaire, semi-structured interview, and observation from the field. To support the primary data, secondary data also collected from different documents and studies and all were analyzed qualitatively. From the findings of the study, Konso has various natural and cultural potentialities required for tourism development. These are Moras, Wakaas and good terraced areas. Likewise, Walled villages or towns and New York natural land feature and different cultural ceremonies are the potentials of tourism. However, the industry has not grown significantly. As the finding indicates 90.6% of the respondents didn‟t have any contact with tourism industry. Unfortunately only 9.4% of the respondents have a direct interaction with the industry. On the other hand, their income is less than 30 ETB per day in average. This articulates the economic significance of the community is low compared to the tourism wealth of the Woreda. As the finding also indicates, tourism industry in Konso Woreda has several challenges. The foremost problems of tourism identified by this study were underdeveloped infrastructure and facilities, safety and security, underdeveloped ICT, lack of implementing national policies and lack of professionalism. Moreover, lack of marketing and promotion, below standard accommodations and lack of coordination also affect the industry negatively. The prospects of tourism in the study area includes availability of different natural and cultural tourist destinations, economical tourist expenses, good cultural ceremonies and supportive national policies. Similarly, welcoming people, under- construction of new hotels and lodges, registration of the landscape in UNESCO also contributes a pronounced role for the future development of the industry. Finally this paper recommended that participation and coordination of all concerned bodies and stakeholders (governments and community) is very imperative in solving the challenges and to develop the industry in the study area.