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ABSTRACT
Ethiopia is rich with varied types of tourist attractions, which gives the country a great
potential for cultural and educational tourism. This study has attempted to examine the
ecotourism potentials and development in Kaffa Biosphere Reserve in Gimbo Woreda in
Southern Nations Nationality and Peoples of Ethiopia. In this study three Kebeles Ufa, Shetta
and Wushwush were selected as a principal locations for this study. The three Kebeles were
selected purposefully, and the reason for selection was associated with availability of
ecotourism potentials in relative distances, accessibility, and limitations of research cost. In
line with this 218 sample respondents were selected for inquirers from three kebeles by using
simple random sampling method. Qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques were
employed to collect the required information on ecotourism potentials and development.
Weighted Sum Method (WSM) tool was used among various tools of Multi-Criteria Decision
Methods (MCDM) for assessing the tourism potential of the study sites. In addition
questionnaire and key informant methods were used to assess the attitudes and perceptions of
local community towards ecotourism potentials in the area. Data were analyzed using
descriptive statistics and responses compared using the Chi - square test to understand the
attitude of the respondents towards ecotourism resources and products Data collected were
analyzed by using chi-square test to determine variation of awareness among the respondents.
In addition, intra attribute scaling was used to know the level of potential ecotourism in the
study area. Having these, nearly, 88% of respondents confirmed that there are high ecotourism
potentials in the study area. Apart from this, the study site, Wushush has high attribute scaling
on socio-cultural potential than others, while Shetta and Uffa have high attribute scaling on a
forest and transport potentials, respectively. The existence of different wildlife in the study area,
the presence of historical and cultural resources, the provision of different social service, and
the suitability of the nature of environment is the best opportunity for ecotourism development.
Finally, promoting and making further study is very important for digging out available
ecotourism potentials for sustainable ecotourism development.
Keywords/Phrase: Biosphere reserve, ecotourism, ecotourism potential, ecotourism
development, Multi-Criteria Decision Methods. |
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