Abstract:
Amani Nature Reserve (ANR), which is within the Eastern Arc Mountains, is well known
for its biological and ecological values. Eco-tourism is being practiced in the reserve.
However, despite the fact that eco-tourism has been proposed as a viable economic activity
that can minimize negative human impacts on wildlife habitat and provide an incentive to
preserve natural areas, little has been reported on the potentials and constraints of the
practice in the area. This study was conducted in the villages adjacent to ANR, to
determine the potentials and constraints of eco-tourism in nature conservation and
livelihoods improvement in and around ANR. Questionnaire survey, Participatory Rural
Appraisal (PRA) and key informant interviews were the methods used in data collection.
The results reveal that there are enormous natural (flora, fauna and sceneries) and cultural
resources for development of productive eco-tourism in ANR. However, the existing
potential is not fully exploited. Despite an increase in tourists and hence revenues in ANR,
little is accrued by the local communities. Results further show that eco-tourism
contributed only 9.6% to total household income annually and only 22.7% of the surveyed
households were engaged in eco-tourism-related activities. The study concludes that the
existing level and type of involvement in eco-tourism is not effective enough to bring
about significant impact, which comes into view that the potentials for eco-tourism in
improving livelihoods is yet to be realized in the area. Increased local community
involvements in tourism in order to improve people’s livelihoods and to enable them
understand the inter-relationships between humans and the environment are recommended.
