The impact of ecotourism on marine resources conservation and community livelihoods: The case of Misali Southern Region of Pemba Island

Ecotourism is to achieve the objectives of natural resources conservation while also benefiting local communities and at the same time preserving culture, traditions and identity. Ecotourism is being applied in Misali for more than one decade now. However, there is uncertainty as to how and to what extent local communities’ benefit from Misali ecotourism and to what extent their culture, traditions; value, identity and natural empowerments are being positively or negatively affected. It is this gap that this study attempts to bridge. The methods used involved interview, observation, and discussion with the local people and officials, members from tourism and environmental institutions. The findings of the study indicate the socio-economic benefits occurred by the communities including both temporary and permanent employments which constitute (8.5%), more important existing value of MMCA, provide ecosystem goods and services which provide marine products, cultural services and religious values as well as the more prosaic experience of tourism. The study recommends that government should sustain the ecotourism strategy but the true principles of this type of tourism must be seriously observed, a special effort must be taken to reduce rural poverty as an incentive for environmental conservation, but also communities’ involvement in resource management and exploitation must be effective, pro-active and not reactive.