Prospects and Challenges of Community-Based Tourism as a Livelihood Diversification Strategy at Sehlabathebe National Park in Lesotho

Abstract

The purpose of this article was to examine the prospects and challenges of community based tourism as a livelihood diversification strategy for people living adjacent to the Sehlabathebe National Park in Lesotho. The main objective was to explore how rural communities living close to the World Heritage Site shift and diversity their livelihoods from farm to non-farm activities in order to sustain their livelihoods. This study adopted a mixed method approach. Data was collected through surveys (286) and in-depth key informant interviews (11). The results show that local communities support the use of tourism as a livelihood diversification strategy to provide off-farm entrepreneurial opportunities. The greatest challenge is that local communities are often pushed into marginal lands, with harsh climatic conditions resulting in the disruption of local fabric and their economies. The study concludes that the establishment of Sehlabathebe National Park has not significantly improved the status quo of the community. Therefore, local communities should be given opportunities to sell their products and services to tourists and work in partnership with park authorities in conserving the park resources. The paper contributes to the current discourses on the use of community based tourism as a livelihood diversification strategy in rural areas.