Is Tourism in Zimbabwe Developing with the Poor in Mind? Assessing the Pro-poor Involvement of Tourism Operators Located Near Rural Areas in Zimbabwe

Abstract

The paper explores the contribution of tourism industry operators to pro-poor tourism development in Zimbabwe. This research investigates a possible nexus between the aforementioned tourism growth and its potential for poverty reduction in communities surrounding Victoria Falls and Hwange. The researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with tourism industry businesses that exhibited their products and services at the International Travel Expo held on the 18 th-21 st of October 2012 at the Harare International Conference Centre in Zimbabwe. Findings indicate that the tourism industry is keen to engage in pro-poor tourism initiatives for the rural people despite the political and economic turmoil that the industry has suffered over the past years. In Zimbabwe, 80% of the population resides in rural areas and a sizable fraction of these are near National Parks and Tourism Resorts, for example, Hwange National Park, the biggest Park in Zimbabwe and Victoria Falls, respectively. The findings point to the fact that tourism operators appreciate the need to incorporate pro-poor initiatives in their operations as evidenced by their commitment towards education funding initiatives, employment of the poor and generation of income from village tours. However more could be done to enhance the pro-poor tourism benefits that accrue to the rural poor by establishing close linkages between tourism operators and local communities.

Corporate social responsibility for poverty alleviation: An integrated research framework

“…In-group CSR in general: initiatives to reduce poverty among employees and other internal stakeholders Lobel (2013) Content issues initiatives in general: equality of opportunity and treatment, conditions of work, collective bargaining Kolk et al (2006) To give the poor opportunities to get a job and earn wages to support their families Mutana et al (2013), Novelli and Hellwig (2011), Okpara and Wynn (2012), Ragodoo (2009) and Schölmerich (2013) To improve job conditions (e.g., wages, stability)…”

“…Novelli and Hellwig (2011), Okpara and Wynn (2012) and Schölmerich (2013) To guarantee equal pay for women, as many poor households have female heads Okpara and Wynn (2012) 4. External CSR initiatives: Universalist CSR in general: initiatives to reduce poverty at the community level 2012, Ragodoo (2009) and Renouard and Lado (2012) Donations and campaign against hunger and malnutrition Jabbour et al (2012) and Valor (2012) To reduce material deprivation Idemudia (2009) To provide assistance to private and public educational institutions Ite (2005), Idemudia (2007Idemudia ( , 2009 and Mutana et al (2013), Nguyen et al (2018), Novelli and Hellwig (2011) and Okpara and Wynn (2012) To provide assistance to clinics Idemudia (2009), Nguyen et al (2018) and Novelli and Hellwig (2011)…”

“…Barkemeyer 2011 Education and training Gokulsing (2011), Idemudia (2007Idemudia ( , 2009, Mutana et al (2013), Novelli and Hellwig (2011), Okpara and Wynn (2012), Ragodoo (2009), Schölmerich (2013) and Waswa et al (2009) Employment generation Idemudia (2007), Mutana et al (2013), Novelli and Hellwig (2011), Okpara and Wynn (2012), McIntyre et al (2015), Nguyen et al (2018), Raimi et al (2015), Renouard and Lado (2012), Schölmerich (2013) and Valor (2012) Income generation for local suppliers/farmers Mutana et al (2013), Novelli and Hellwig (2011), Schölmerich (2013) and Waswa et al (2009) To promote entrepreneurship and local firms Mutana et al (2013), Nguyen et...…”

“…Firm characteristics: size, geographic origin, Human Development Index, foreign direct investment Barkemeyer (2011), Gokulsing (2011), Metzger et al (2010) and Valor (2012) Economic sector: type of economic activity, CSR pattern in the industry Barkemeyer (2011), Kolk et al (2006), Ragodoo (2009) and Valor (2012) CSR effort and motivation: internal budgetary constraints, importance of in-group CSR as compared with universalist CSR, a core business-related motivation, a motivation to obtain legitimation to operate, a motivation to contribute to sustainable development goals, CSR strategy (reactive vs. proactive), management's satisfaction with pro-poor CSR Ite (2005), Lobel (2013), McIntyre et al (2015, Metzger et al (2010), Novelli and Hellwig (2011), Ragodoo (2009), Renouard and Lado (2012), Schölmerich (2013), Valor (2012) and Wuttke and Vilks (2014) Stakeholders' interest, pressure and perception: the need for a higher standard of living for a firm's stakeholders in an operational environment; increased shareholder activism, NGO pressure and customer interest; perceptions of community representatives and key informants; CSR promises; issue salience of poverty; field cohesion; field distance Gokulsing (2011), Idemudia (2007Idemudia ( , 2009, Ite (2005), Lobel (2013), Mutana et al (2013), Nguyen et al (2018), Novelli and Hellwig (2011), Overton-de Klerk and Oelofse (2010), Ragodoo (2009), Raimi et al (2015), Schölmerich (2013) and Valor (2012) Globalisation and governance deficits in developing countries: failure of governments in developing countries to provide social services and development infrastructure, political regime, legal framework, government and firm corruption, Northern bias in the CSR agenda Amadi and Abdullah (2012), …”

“…,McIntyre et al (2015),Nguyen et al (2018), Overton-deKlerk and Oelofse (2010) andWaswa et al (2009) Structured interviews with governmental officialsNguyen et al (2018) Semi-structured interviews with governmental officialsIdemudia (2007Idemudia ( , 2009, Nguyen et al(2018)and Okpara and Wynn (2012), Structured interviews with NGOs Nguyen et al (2018) Semi-structured interviews with NGOs Gokulsing (2011), Idemudia (2009), Nguyen et al (2018) and Okpara and Wynn (2012), Semi-structured interviews with other communities' representatives Idemudia (2009), Nguyen et al (2018), Okpara and Wynn (2012) and Overton-de Klerk and Oelofse (2010), Structured interviews with managers Barkemeyer (2011), Nguyen et al (2018), Novelli and Hellwig(2011)andOkpara and Wynn (2012) Semi-structured interviews with managers and/or ownersGokulsing (2011),Mutana et al (2013),Okpara and Wynn (2012) andRagodoo (2009) Structured interviews with employeesNguyen et al (2018) Semi-structured interviews with employees McIntyre et al(2015),Nguyen et al (2018) andOkpara and Wynn …”