Developing the Future Community-Based Tourism at Sof-Umar Cave and Its Environs: Uncovering Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract

Objective: The main aim of this study is to investigate the possible challenges and prospects in developing the future community-oriented tourism at Sof-Umar cave and its environs after examining the contemporary benefits of traditional tourism to the local community. 
 Methodology: The paper opted for a household survey method employing a mixed research approach. The questionnaire, interview and field observation were used as data gathering instruments whereas samples were systematically selected from Sof-Umar kebele. Descriptive and inferential statistics used to analyze the quantitative data.
 Findings: The findings showed that the study area has enabling factors for the future-proof of tourism to be community-focused despite the challenges that are most commonly experienced in other parts of the country where this type of tourism has been virtually established.
 Research limitations/implication: Because of the confinement of the objective to the possibility of making the future tourism community-focused, the study does not happen to show the contextual procedure for the development of this niche tourism. Thus, it’s recommended that a straightforward implementation guideline has to be prepared well in advance.
 Originality/value: This study gives stakeholders fascinating insights into the problems related to the conventional tourism and the need to make the future tourism a community-focused so as to maximize the benefits of the sector and resolve the contemporary conflict.

Traveling preferences in Madhya Pradesh post COVID-19

“…It furnishes triple bottom line (Sharma et al, 2019;Joseph, 2016) creating civic infrastructures, access to more information and communication resources (Pandey et al, 2014;Mir, 2019), but facing numerous operational, structural and socio-cultural challenges (Bhandari & Bijlwan, 2019). Engagement of local community in policy making and execution level may benefit to people at large (Kebede & Zelelew, 2020).…”