German researcher uncovers shortfall in tourism sector

By Aldrin Mukendwa

A German researcher has uncovered shortfall in tourism sector in Zambezi region, amid lack of local entrepreneurship among the wildlife and tourism graduates in Zambezi region.

This was revealed by Ms. Leonie Hesselmann, Research associate and PhD candidate at the Institute of Geography University of Cologne in Germany, was among the researchers at the KAZA workshops in collaboration with the Department of Wildlife and Tourism Management UNAM Katima Mulilo Campus held recently in Katima Mulilo.

According to Hesselmann, there are factors influencing local entrepreneurship in Zambezi Region such as individual-level factors, contextual factors and historical legacies for young entrepreneurs to exploit the untapped business ventures in the wildlife and tourism to boost the economy of the region and KAZA countries.

She added that to overcome those factors one must first overcome historical legacies and view entrepreneur as viable career.

KAZA Vision is to establish a world-class trans frontier conservation and tourism destination area in the Okavango and Zambezi River Basin regions of Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe within the context of sustainable development.

As a researcher she one day took a friend from Ngoma Bridge up to Impalila Island, about 65 kilometers prime property and who said “But where are the campsites? Where are the lodges?”

She discovered that there are few engaged tourism companies who are contributing to regional development, and lack of local entrepreneurship in the Zambezi region, with about 4% of the working population works in tourism (low-paid), 20% of tourism revenue remain in the region and the importance of local ownership in tourism for local value capture.

“One possible avenue to strengthen tourism-based regional development in the Zambezi region is local entrepreneurship, Regional development through tourism entrepreneurship in the Zambezi region, Contextual conditions for local tourism entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial intentions among UNAM students” She said.

Hesselmann observed factors that influence entrepreneurship among the UNAM students in Zambezi Region such as Individual-level influences: which is the Existence of entrepreneurs or entrepreneurial individuals and what does someone want to achieve in the future in terms of the career, Contextual influences: which is Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Important and contextual elements influencing entrepreneurship.

Entrepreneurship

There is a positive perception of entrepreneurship, but entrepreneurship is not the main career goal. Maybe a later career path or sideline activity.

Given the facts that the Geographical location of Zambezi region as a “gateway” to Southern Africa, and its close proximity to other tourism destinations,Flora and fauna and the existing market with untapped opportunities makes it as an open window of opportunity in wildlife and tourism business model.

Lack of an entrepreneurial culture

A UNAM Student who opted to remain anonymous said that “We were taught to be civil servants rather than businesspeople. So, we thought some of these things are not possible to be done by a black person. They only be done by whites.”

Another UNAM Student stressed that “We are raised in a culture where after school you are supposed to go and look for a job and work until you retire. Yeah, I think that is for me what is killing us a lot. We don’t have an entrepreneurial spirit of saying: Let me start something and build it and make it big.”

She however explained that lack of resources, lack of financial capital, lack of entrepreneurship, friendly financial support, inefficient use of available funds, difficulties in accessing land and entrepreneurial knowledge and skills are the main obstacles in the region.

“Limited support from the university (and overall educational system), up until now limited focus on entrepreneurship education, but recent curriculum changes at the Department of Wildlife Management and Tourism Studies.”

Husselmann further concluded that “Politics, inadequate laws for specific needs of start-ups: Insufficient awareness of tourism sector ‘s potential. The private sector: Existing networks so far limited to already established businesses and no collaboration between university and tourism businesses”

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