The Socio-Economic Impacts of Tourism Development in Sierra Leone: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Tourism is a fast-growing industry, and one of the most vital sectors that drive the economic growth of a nation. This current work investigates the socio-economic impact of tourism in Sierra Leone. Therefore, the objectives of this research are to (1) analyze the contribution of tourism to national employment and poverty alleviation (2) analyze the contribution of tourism to the local economy (3) assess the impacts of tourism on destination regions in Sierra Leone. A total of 130 respondents from different works of life are targeted for this study. Results revealed that tourism have provided employment opportunities for many people especially youths. However, the nature of employment ranged from full time to part time. Tourism has also help many locals to establish business enterprises to meet the needs and demands of tourists. This has contributed to local economic growth in most part of the country. Both positive and negative impacts of tourism were identified on this current study. The positive impacts included cultural exchange between tourists and local people, infrastructural development in tourist destination communities or areas, and local currency flow. Soaring crime rates, cultural invasion, high cost of living are some of the negative implications