Title: A framework and policy-implications of stakeholders' engagement in sustainable tourism development: empirical evidence from Arbaminch and its vicinity, Southern Ethiopia

Authors: Damene Bogale

Addresses: Department of Tourism and Hotel Management, Arbaminch University, Arbaminch, +251, Ethiopia

Abstract: Stakeholders' engagement greatly contributes to ensuring sustainable tourism development (STD). Buttressed by the triple-bottom-line (TBL) and stakeholder theories, the current study investigates the extent of stakeholders' engagement in STD in Arbaminch and its vicinity, southern Ethiopia. The study employs a qualitative-exploratory research and collects data from purposively selected 34 in-depth interviews and focus group discussion participants. Findings inform that both the local government and tourist service operations in the area greatly contribute to the socio-economic aspect of the STD; while the local communities are poorly engaged in this regard. Likewise, despite the prevailing environmental sustainability practices in the vicinity, yet, areas including the Nechsar National park demand swift stakeholders' engagement at this juncture. The study further discloses other challenges in STD and presents pertinent strategies as well as a framework believed important in attaining stakeholders' engagement. Eventually, study implications, limitations and future directions are also discussed.

Keywords: stakeholders; stakeholder theory; stakeholder engagement; stakeholder engagement framework; STD; sustainable tourism development; economic sustainability; socio-cultural sustainability; environmental sustainability; local community; local government; tourist service operations; TBL; triple-bottom-line; Ethiopia; Arbaminch.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTP.2023.129829

International Journal of Tourism Policy, 2023 Vol.13 No.2, pp.117 - 136

Received: 22 Oct 2021
Accepted: 16 Feb 2022
Published online: 31 Mar 2023 *

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