How does tourism affect the lives of the poor and what is the relevance of tourism to the poverty agenda? What are the impacts (positive and negative) and how can they be better understood? What factors encourage or constrain economic participation of the poor in the tourist industry? Can tourism be pro-poor? This ODI paper examines ways of putting poverty at the heart of the tourism agenda, of promoting pro-poor tourism.

The current challenge for governments and donors in tourism development is by developing strategies to improve the effects of tourism on poor people. Research in India, Indonesia, Namibia, Nepal, Philippines, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe led to the following findings and conclusions:

• Tourism development has not, to date, incorporated poverty elimination objectives. It remains driven by economic, environmental and/or cultural perspectives at national and international levels.
• Given the massive impact tourism has on many of the world’s poor, how far pro-poor tourism can be promoted should be a central issue.
• The effects that poverty has on tourism are wide ranging (not just jobs or incomes) with differential costs and benefits.
• Participation by the poor in tourism, and the benefits they gain, depends on a range of critical factors including type of tourism, planning regulations, land tenure, market context, and access to capital and training. Many can be influenced by changes in policy or external support.
• There is plenty of scope for adapting tourism interventions to enhance livelihood benefits to the poor.
• Pro-poor tourism strategies have to be commercially realistic. Although the private sector cannot be expected to prioritise poverty objectives, private companies need to be included in the process.

Building on analysis of issues affecting participation and impacts, several policy implications emerge. Recommended strategies to enhance the poverty impact of tourism include

• Put poverty issues on the tourism agenda. This would require pro-active and strategic intervention recognising that enhancing poverty impacts of tourism is different from commercial, environmental, or ethical concerns.
• Enhance economic opportunities by breading down barriers to poor people's economic participation in the industry.
• Incorporate the concerns of the poor in decision-making.
• Adopt a multi-level approach: destination, national policy, and international levels.
• Work through partnerships with business, national and local governments, industry, NGOs, community organisations, consumers, and donors.
• Incorporate pro-poor tourism approaches into mainstream mass tourism planning and not just niche markets such as ecotourism or community tourism.
• Reform decision-making systems and enhance participation by the poor.

Source(s):
‘Pro-poor tourism: Putting poverty at the heart of the tourism agenda' ODI Natural Resource Perspectives #51, by C. Ashley, C. Boyd, and H. Goodwin (2000) Full document.
‘Tourism, conservation and sustainable development’ Final report to the Department for International Development by H. Goodwin, I. Kent, K. Parker, K. and M. Walpole (1997) Full document.

Funded by: Department for International Development, UK

id21 Research Highlight: 24 January 2001

Further Information:
Caroline Ashley or Charlotte Boyd
Overseas Development Institute
111 Westminster Bridge Road
London SE1 7JD
UK

Tel: +44 (0)20 7922 0300
Fax: +44 (0)20 7922 0399
Contact the contributor: c.ashley@odi.org.uk / lotteboyd@yahoo.com

Overseas Development Institute, UK

Harold Goodwin
School of Earth and Environmental Sciences
University of Greenwich
Medway University Campus
Kent ME4 4TB
UK

Contact the contributor: ftsl@ftsl.demon.co.uk

University of Greenwich, UK

Other related links:
Sustainable Travel and Tourism has further links and features

The Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources focuses on the exploration of rural development and conservation in Africa

The World Tourism Organisation serves as a global forum for tourism policy issues

The International Ecotourism Society has searchable research papers with more information

TCTIDD focuses on tourism issues in Asia and the Pacific

Search MOST for further links and research on Poverty and Social Exclusion

Wisconsin's Institute for Research on Poverty features further studies on this subject