New papers on Pro-Poor Tourism

Several new papers have been published covering a range of issues related to tourism development in the developing world, taking an explicit pro-poor tourism (PPT) approach.

Issues covered include: increasing access for the informal sector to formal sector tourism, livelihood impacts of tourism decline, strategies for developing tourism in poor rural areas, and methods for undertaking PPT assessments.

The papers are the result of a recently-completed short research project by the PPT partnership, funded by the UK’s Department for International Development. The aim was to document and share experience of PPT, in order to increase knowledge and uptake of strategies that enhance the contribution of tourism to poverty reduction.

The new working papers, which can all be found at http://www.propoortourism.org.uk/Lesson_sharing.html are as follows:

No. 9 Strengths and Weaknesses of a Pro-Poor Tourism
Approach, by Dorothea Meyer

This paper assesses the usefulness of adopting a PPT approach when analysing tourism projects. It does this by following-up with the participants of an earlier PPT research project to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the PPT approach.

No. 10 Methodology for Pro-Poor Tourism Case Studies, by Caroline Ashley

This working paper contains the methodological guidelines for assessing tourism interventions using a PPT perspective. The purpose of the methodology is to provide a common analytical framework for assessing diverse situations and to ensure that the analysis focuses on poverty-related issues.

No. 11 Strategies, Impacts and Costs of Pro-Poor Tourism
Approaches in South Africa, by Anna Spenceley and Jennifer Seif

This paper describes strategies devised by five private sector tourism enterprises in South Africa to address poverty and development issues. It assesses their effectiveness and impact on the poor, drawing on the views of four neighbouring communities.

No. 12 Tourism in Poor Rural Areas: Diversifying the Product and Expanding the Benefits in Rural Uganda and the Czech Republic, by Jenny Holland, Louise Dixey and Michael Burian

This working paper explores strategies for expanding tourism away from established tourism centres to poor rural areas. It draws on two case studies, one in the Czech Republic and one in Uganda, to set out the key challenges of tourism diversification and dispersal.

No. 13 Coping with Declining Tourism, Examples from
Communities in Kenya, by Samuel Kareithi

This working paper examines the effects of tourism’s decline in Kenya in the late 1990s on the livelihoods of poor people. The paper explores the consequences of the decline specifically in Narok District, looks at the coping mechanisms adopted by different stakeholder groups and
offers some policy recommendations.

No. 14 Addressing Poverty Issues in Tourism Standards, by Dilys Roe, Catherine Harris and Julio de Andrade

This working paper reviews the extent to which poverty reduction has been addressed in a number of the different tourism standards that exist. The paper also touches on the limitations of tourism standards in enhancing tourism impacts on the poor.

No. 15 Improving Access for the Informal Sector to Tourism in The Gambia, by Adama Bah, and Harold Goodwin

This working paper describes and analyses initiatives in The Gambia that have increased access to the tourism market for the informal sector. It demonstrates the achievements of partnership approaches between the formal and informal sectors (through for example badging, licensing, and codes created and policed by the informal sector), while identifying continuing challenges.