GEOGRAPHY FIELD PROJECT REPORT

TITLE:
TO INVESTIGATE THE CONTRIBUTION OF TOURISM TO DEVELOPMENT AND
POVERTY ALLEVIATION – A CASE STUDY OF LIMULUNGA DISTRICT,
WESTERN PROVINCE.

BY
IMBOELA MWANAMWALYE

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 Table of Contents
Acknowledgement ....................................................................................................................................... 2
CHAPTER ONE ......................................................................................................................................... 2
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 2
Background ............................................................................................................................................. 2
Aim ........................................................................................................................................................... 3
Objectives................................................................................................................................................. 3
Significance of the Study ........................................................................................................................ 3
The Scope of the Study ........................................................................................................................... 3
Limitation of the Study ........................................................................................................................... 3
CHAPTER TWO .............................................................................................................................................. 4
Methodology ............................................................................................................................................ 4
Overview ............................................................................................................................................... 4
Description of the Study Area ................................................................................................................ 4
Study Area: Location and General Description of Limulunga District................................................... 4
Data Collection ........................................................................................................................................ 4
CHAPTER THREE .................................................................................................................................... 5
Data Presentation .................................................................................................................................... 5
The Kuomboka Ceremony..................................................................................................................... 5
The Nalikwanda (Royal Boat) ................................................................................................................ 5
The Barotse Flood Plains ....................................................................................................................... 6
Nayuma Museum in Limulunga District ................................................................................................ 6
CHAPTER FOUR....................................................................................................................................... 7
Data Interpretation and Analysis (Data Discussion) ........................................................................... 7
CHAPTER FIVE ........................................................................................................................................ 9
5.0 EVALUATION AND CONCLUSION ....................................................................................................... 9
5.1. EVALUATION .................................................................................................................................. 9
6.0 CONCLUSION .................................................................................................................................... 10
CHAPTER SIX ............................................................................................................................................... 10
6.0 RECOMMENDATIONS.................................................................................................................... 10
LIMITATION OF THE STUDY .................................................................................................................... 11
APPENDIX 2............................................................................................................................................. 12

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Dedication
I dedicate this piece of field report to my family for their unending love and support during the
whole period of field research study which eventually culminated into a final report.

Acknowledgement
Firstly, I wish to greatly thank God almighty for according me a gift of life. My gratitude of thanks
also go to my lovely wife and children for their spiritual support. I am also grateful to my project
supervisor at Ilute Secondary School who labored to guide even at his busy times. Am also
indebted to colleagues for every encouragement they have rendered to me during my time for this
research. I am also grateful to various support groups who generously gave their time, resources,
material and other form of support to ensure this work is completed.

CHAPTER ONE
Introduction
Background
Tourism has become an important strategy for local development in many underdeveloped regions.
Many studies show that tourism development has significant impacts on impoverished rural
communities where the option for development is limited. Although the positive economic and
social impacts of tourism development have contributed to local livelihoods in some communities,
to other communities, the negative impacts associated with tourism development such as
displacement, environmental and cultural degradation has indeed led to the deterioration of
residents’ quality of life.
Despite the tremendous opportunity tourism offers for poverty reduction in such regions, this is
yet to be exploited to its fullest in newly established districts like Limulunga district of Western
Province.
Tourism has been adopted by the Zambian government as an antidote for struggling economies,
especially in impoverished rural, remote areas where ethnic minority people live. Despite the
increasing research on tourism and poverty, there are few in-depth qualitative studies that
investigate the special role of rural tourism in Zambia’s poverty alleviation and socioeconomic
regeneration. Therefore, there is a need to understand the tourism impact on poverty and the
associated issues in development. The main purpose of this study is to examine the impacts of rural
tourism on poverty alleviation in the Zambian context and discuss the role of community-based

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tourism activities for the livelihoods of local people. A case study was conducted in a rural villages
and town center in Limulunga district.
Aim
The main aim of this study was to investigate the contribution of tourism to development and
poverty alleviation – a case study of Limulunga district, Western province.

Objectives
The following were the objectives of the study:

i. To establish the major and potential tourists attractions in Limulunga.

ii. To determine how tourism helps to promote and preserve cultural heritage in Western
province.
iii. To examine how tourism promote economic development and poverty alleviation in
Limulunga district.

Significance of the Study

The study is significant to many stakeholders including the local people of Limulunga District on
how they can use tourism to better their livelihoods. This is seen in the number of advantages that
tourism comes along with. Tourism creates important opportunities to diversify the local economy.
It can often be developed in poor and marginal areas with few other export and diversification
options. This study is also significant to the government of the Republic of Zambia through the
Ministry of Tourism, in which the study will bring to light the major and potential tourists’
attractions to be developed which will in turn help generate more revenue for the country.

The Scope of the Study

The research was conducted in Limulunga Royal Village and the surrounding communities, of
Limulunga district of Western province with the focus on tourism’s contribution to economic
development and poverty alleviation.

Limitation of the Study

The research study encountered a number of challenges that could have degraded the quality of
this report. The problems and challenges encountered were as follows:

 The movements from one community to the other was difficult due to inadequate road
infrastructure in the district with sandy terrain.

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  To some extent respondents were not all that cooperative due to the nature of the research
as some respondents associated the researcher to be among the people advancing for the
inscription of the Barotse landscapes to be a world cultural site.
 Language barrier.

CHAPTER TWO
Methodology
Overview
The study has investigated the contribution of tourism to development and poverty alleviation in
Limulunga district. This chapter presents the research methodology, research design, area of study,
population, sampling method, research sample, data collection procedures, data collection
instruments, and limitation of the study.

Description of the Study Area

Study Area: Location and General Description of Limulunga District.
Limulunga district is a district of Zambia, located in North of Mongu district of Western province.
The seat of the district is Limulunga. It was made independent from Mongu district in 2012. The
distance from Limulunga to Zambia’s capital Lusaka is approximately 554km. Limulunga district
lies on latitude 15o6’S and longitude 23o9’E.

Data Collection
Data for this study was collected via a case study conducted in Limulunga Royal Village in
Limulunga district of Western Province, Zambia. Multiple research methods, including in-depth
interviews, informal discussions, on-site observations, and secondary data review were employed
to explore the impacts of tourism on local lives and poverty. In-depth interviews pertaining to the
Limulunga Royal Village. The author contacted all 25 households in order to gain broad voices
from the villagers. In total, 22 households participated in the research which represents 88% of the
population in the community. Three households declined interviews due to various reasons such

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as lack of time or interest. Interviews were carried out in Lozi dialect since the villagers are
generally fluent in that dialect. Informal conversations were also carried out with men and women
of all ages, both individually and in groups, to learn about their lives and attitudes towards tourism
and poverty.
Additionally, 2 key informants from the Ministry of Tourism were interviewed in order to obtain
a clear perspective on the role of tourism in local economy and poverty alleviation. Finally,
secondary data including tourism plans, official documents, newspapers, and journal articles were
examined to help gain a larger understanding of the community’s context and to understand social
responses to tourism development.

CHAPTER THREE
Data Presentation
The Kuomboka Ceremony
The Kuomboka is steeped in legend and myth but originates from the annual arrival of the floods.
The legend goes that hundreds of years ago, there was a might flood called Mezi-ya-Lungwangwa
that swept across the land, taking with it almost all the animals and villages. Those who survived
feared the flood and asked for a way to escape the waters. Their High god Nyambe ordered a man
called Nakambela, to build the first great canoe, or Nalikwanda, to help the people escape. In the
boat they carried with them seeds and animal dung, which were spread at the first place they
landed, giving rise to the plants and animals we know today.

Now, every year during this season when the moon is full the procession takes the Litunga to the
safety of higher ground, calling for everyone to follow. This event attracts a lot of people all the
four corners the world.

The Nalikwanda (Royal Boat)

The royal boat above is one of the major tourist attraction during the Kuomboka ceremony as
everyone longs and yearns to see it.

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The Barotse Flood Plains

The Barotse flood plains have a beauty scenic view for both local and international tourists. During
floods a lot of people visit the plains to watch boat cruses, birds, waters, hippos, crocodiles and
many other features of the plain.

Nayuma Museum in Limulunga District

The Nayuma Museum is a museum in Limulunga district, dedicated to promote the arts and crafts
of Barotseland. Nayuma Museum and Heritage Centre is located in Limulunga adjacent to the
Litunga’s flood-time palace. It has the traditional museum’s objectives to acquire, conserve,
research and exhibit the cultural heritage of the people of Western province and is affiliated to the
National Museums Board of Zambia based in the Capital, Lusaka.

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The construction of the Nayuma Museum started in 1984 with the funding from NORAD
(Norwegian Agency for Development Corporation). Nayuma Museum operational hours are daily
from 09:00 hours to 16:30 hours.

The Nayuma Museum houses craft and a curio shop stocking baskets, crafts, etc. the craft shop
serves three purposes: an income generating activity, preserve traditional artifacts; and community
income generating activity.

The research found also found that the Museum has also a dance troupe which is a product of the
Nayuma Museum created to entertain the public. The Nayuma museum was initially planned to
play an incidental role of providing entertainment and crafts sales to tourists during annual
Kuomboka ceremony.

CHAPTER FOUR
Data Interpretation and Analysis (Data Discussion)
According to research findings, the people of Western province enjoy their cultural life which they
have sustained for over 300 years. They celebrate the annual movement of the King and two other
Chieftainesses from their summer palaces on the Barotse Flood Plains to their winter palaces on
the upper land in a colorful ceremony called Kuomboka which literally means coming out of water.

It has also been found that the ceremonies are held when the plains are flooded towards the end of
the rain season between March and April. Whereas floods are a serious calamity in most parts of
the world, among the Lozis, they offer an opportunity for transhumance movement which is
viewed with a high sense of pride, excitement and expectation.

During this magnificent ceremony, most of the respondents shared that a variety of cultural display
is showcased through traditional dances like siyomboka, sipelu, kayowe, lilombola to mention just
a few, which you will not find anywhere apart from Western province. Furthermore, it was
mentioned that the Lozis have a unique attire called musisi for women and siziba for men, unique
only to this province.

The visit to Kuomboika ceremony will not be complete without visiting the Nayuma Royal
Museum which was established and dedicated to preserve and promote local culture in the region.
A research visit at the Nayuma Museum found that, the museum contains historical knowledge of
the Lozi people which is found in Diaries, history books of the Luyi/Lozi people, pictures showing

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royal lineage of the Lozi traditional leadership. However, most of the artifacts are not allowed to
be captured hence the reason why most of the pictures have not been displayed in data presentation
of chapter three of this report.

It is imperative to note that the province also has a variety of crafts and basketry which constitutes
a reservoir of souvenirs for travelers.

The might Zambezi River and its character on the Barotse flood plains is also a notable tourist
attraction mentioned during the field study in that it offers such incomparable experience. The
gradual but confident growth in both depth and breadth of the Zambezi River from Mwinilunga,
winds its way in the ragged terrain and narrow openings into the flood plains.

The interviewees reported that village tours started as a trickle in the late 1990s as a growing
number of backpackers visited the area. Local villagers initiated small-scale tourism businesses by
providing horseback riding and home-made food to visitors. With the encouragement of incentive
governmental policies, household-based accommodation emerged. After the first guesthouse was
opened in Limulunga in 1998, more villagers became involved in tourism to get rid of poverty.
Some opened small restaurants and souvenir shops, while others performed ethnic music and
dances for tourists. Since then the community has seen a growing economy based on tourism.
Many interviewees welcomed tourism development in their region. They reported that the tourism
industry had a positive impact on local livelihoods and poverty alleviation, although their
assessment of the extent of the contribution varied. Tourism is seen as a new economic driver of
the community providing opportunities for the creation of small businesses. There was a general
appreciation that tourism has created many employment opportunities, especially for self-
employment such as jobs as tour guides; as providers of ethnic goods and services; various
positions in tourist hotels, guesthouses, restaurants and shops. However, the types of
accommodation is still substandard and not enough to accommodate high influx of tourists that
visit the annual ceremony of Kuomboka. The Limulunga Royal Village has experienced rapid
changes resulting from increasing tourism activities in recent years. The average living standards
of the Limulunga Royal Village has become much higher than that of neighboring villages in terms
of disposable income, quality of housing, roads and public facilities.
Tourism has also increased local people’s awareness of business opportunities. There is a growing
entrepreneurial spirit among villagers influenced by the desire to lift themselves out of poverty.

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However, only a few privileged households enjoyed more loans and most households thought that
they had insufficient money to run guesthouses. Some households felt left out of the tourism
development since they did not have enough funds to start their own business. A number of issues
were identified as major barriers impeding the poverty alleviation potential of tourism in the
studied area. In particular, lack of education, skills and capital are perceived as the main difficulties
preventing residents from becoming involved in tourism. Inadequate public infrastructure and the
small scale of tourism investments are also seen as barriers limiting local people’s access to
tourism benefits that would improve their lives.

CHAPTER FIVE
5.0 EVALUATION AND CONCLUSION
5.1. EVALUATION
In conclusion, it can be said that tourism in Limulunga comes along with a lot of positives as it
offers employment opportunities and a lot of development socially, economically and
environmentally for the people of Limulunga and the surrounding districts like Mongu that offers
most of its accommodation to the tourists during the annual event of Kuomboka Ceremony. The
population has grown as a result of much development that can be attributed to tourism.
5.1.1 Advantages and disadvantages of tourism
Foreign exchange earnings Tourists spend money on travel, accommodation and entertainment.
There is direct income on Taxes from also increased government income.
5.1.2 Employment:
Local people in Limulunga are employed in hotels and as tourist guides. Others find jobs as taxi
drivers, coach drivers, travel agents and sales staff in shops in tourist centers. Tourism also creates
employment opportunities in other services industries, such as restaurants, hotels, motels and
lodges, as well as fashion shops.
5.1.3 Infrastructural development:
Tourism brings in foreign exchange taxes that help the government to pay for improving of
infrastructures, such as roads and bridges. To this effect this has also seen the construction and
rehabilitation of Mongu-Limulunga road which has added beauty to the district. The development
of tourism areas also helps to improve the general infrastructure, such as roads in many parts of
the country

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5.1.4 Cultural exchange:
Tourism helps to increase international understanding and relationships as tourists interact with
people in the district. It also helps with preservation and conservation of our cultural heritage of
our cultural heritage, as tourists are interested in learning more about our traditions. Traditional
crafts, such as woodcarving, benefits from also sales to tourists who want souvenirs to remember
their trip.

6.0 CONCLUSION

This study contributes to scholarly literatures that examine tourism’s role in poverty alleviation
and local development. The study results reveal a complex picture, with strong agreement about
improvements in living standards, employment and accessibility, and a diversity of views on the
impacts on household incomes, entrepreneurial opportunities, and government subsidies. The
study supports the argument that poverty is a multi-faceted problem. The tourism sector is not a
panacea to solve all poverty issues. There are weak linkages between tourism and the wider
economy with a heavy reliance on government subsidies in the area. The small-scale, family-
owned business can be vulnerable in a broad tourism market dominated by large-scale enterprises.
This study has drawn some clear conclusions about the effects of tourism on economic
development and poverty alleviation in Limulunga. A number of evaluative points can be made.
Firstly, given time and personnel restrictions it was difficult to survey the whole of Limulunga
accurately. It is worth concluding that although this was a fairly broad piece of fieldwork, there
was so much more which could be investigated. Different groups of people have very strong views
on refurbishment and it is hoped that this piece of work provides an impartial outsider’s view on
its nature and extent of tourism activities in Limulunga.

CHAPTER SIX
6.0 RECOMMENDATIONS
 The government should come in and help the small scale Tourism activities among local
people in Limulunga district.
 Government must encourage tourist operators by reducing taxes and encourage them to
establish opportunities for locals.
 Limulunga tourist attractions should be advertised worldwide to increase awareness to
attract more tourists from around the world.

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LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
 The report likely had biased as the data was undertaken in Limulunga town only, hence its
findings are limited to Limulunga and cannot be generalized across other tourist’s centres
in Zambia. To overcome this, there is need to carry out similar studies across other tourist
centres in Zambia.
 Time was also inadequate and this encounter did not allow the researcher to build a strong
rapport with the research community. There in need for more time allocation.
 Some respondents who were selected were illiterate to the extent that they could neither
read nor write on the questionnaires, thus researcher had to read and write on their behalf.

APPENDIX 1
Semi-Structured Interviews Questions for the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife

Interview with the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife

1. Is there a master plan for the development of tourism in Limulunga? When was is it
created? Who was involved in the preparation of the tourism masterplan?

2. What are the goals for tourism in Limulunga? How does the Ministry of Tourism and
Wildlife measure the progress of tourism development in Limulunga?

3. How is the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife promote the growth of tourism in Limulunga?

4. Who are the key stakeholders in tourism development in Limulunga?

5. In which communities is the Ministry of Tourism promoting tourism?

6. From the perspective of the Ministry of Tourism, will tourism contribute to poverty
reduction in Limulunga? If so, how will tourism contribute to poverty reduction?

7. From the perspective of the Ministry of Tourism, will tourism contribute to economic
growth in Limulunga? If so, how will tourism contribute to the Limulunga economy?

8. Are there any documents such as plans or studies pertaining to tourism of which I may
obtain a copy?

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APPENDIX 2
Semi-Structured Interview Questions for Lodge Owners
Interview with Lodge Owners
Respondent:
Date:
Location:
Background
1. When did the lodge open?
2. Who owns the lodge? Are you the sole owner? Are you the original owner?
3. How many rooms do you have in total? What is the price range of these rooms?
4. What types of tourists stay here?
5. How has the number of tourists changed over the past five years? Ten years?
Investment
6. What factors influenced your decision to open a lodge in Limulunga district?
7. Were there any specific incentives offered to you when you decided to build a lodge here?
(Tax holiday, land, etc.)
8. How much capital was initially invested to build this lodge? On average, how much money is
invested annually?
Infrastructure
9. What infrastructure existed prior to the construction of this lodge? (Water treatment plant,
sewage system, road, communication lines/tower, electricity, hospital)
10. What infrastructure was built for the lodge?
11. Have any of these been used by local citizens or community groups?
Employment
12. How many employees work here? In what types of positions do they work?
13. How many of your employees are from within Limulunga? How many are from outside the
district?
14. Are they employed on a permanent, contract, or casual basis? How many employees are
permanent? How many are on contract? How many are casual?
15. What is the turnover rate of employees? What is the longest duration an employee has
worked at this lodge?

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 16. What types of benefits do your employees receive (vacation with pay, vacation without pay,
maternity leave, pension, small loans, medical coverage)? Are these benefits formally or
informally offered?
17. Can you describe the wage structure at this lodge? What wages are given for each position?
How does experience influence the wages received by employees? How do educational levels
influence the wages received by employees?
18. How many days do your full-time employees work in a week? How many hours do your
employees work in a day?
19. Have you provided any training for your employees? What kind of training? What was the
result of this training?
Sourcing of Local Goods
20. What types of supplies are sourced within Limulunga? What types of supplies are sourced
within Western province? What types of supplies are sourced from other countries?
21. For those supplies that are sourced externally, have you tried to source them locally? Why or
Why not?
Tourist Philanthropy
22. What opportunities does your lodge provide for tourists to learn about poverty in Limulunga?
23. What opportunities are offered through the lodge for tourists to contribute to poverty
alleviation projects/community projects in Limulunga?
Governance and Taxes
24. What is the rate of tax you pay and who do you pay it to? (National government, local
government, local chiefs) Who receives the VAT tax?
25. What role has the government played in the operation of this facility?
General
26. As a lodge owner in Limulunga, what have been your greatest challenges?
27. As a lodge owner in Limulunga, what have been your greatest accomplishments?
28. How does your lodge affect poverty in Limulunga?

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APPENDIX 3
Survey Questionnaire
Tourism, Development, and Poverty Alleviation: Survey Questionnaire
Date:
Respondent No:
Part I. Demographics
1. Respondent is: Male [ ] Female [ ]
2. Respondent is: Married [ ] Divorced/Separated [ ] Widowed [ ] Single [ ]
3. How many children do you have?
4. a) How many people live in your household?_____
b) Number of children: _______ c) Number of adults: ________
5. How old are the children who live in your household?
6. How many people financially support your household?
7. Are you originally from Limulunga? If not where are you from?
Part II. Economic Growth Indicators:
8. What is your job(s)?
9. How many jobs do you have?
10. How long have you worked as a ___________________________________________?
11a). Do you work in the tourism industry? [ ] Yes [ ] No
* If yes, please indicate in which sector:
11b). [ ] Accommodation [ ] Food and Beverage [ ] Tour Guide [ ] Artisan/Carver
[ ] Transportation [ ] Indirect Service:
12. What is the nature of your employment? (Check all that apply).
[ ] Temporary [ ] Permanent [ ] Part-time [ ] Full-time [ ] Contract [ ] Casual
13. How many hours do you work every: [ ] day ______
[ ] week ______
[ ] month ______
14. How many days do you work every week? ________________________
15. How much money do you make every: [ ] day ______
[ ] week ______
[ ] month ______
16. What is the amount of your current savings (Zambian Kwacha ZMW)?
[ ] None [ ] 2,500 or less [ ] 2,501 - 5,000 [ ] 5,001 – 10,000 [ ] 10,001 +
17. What is the amount of your current debts? ____________________
18. What assets do you currently own? __________________________________________
19a.How has your income changed in the past five years?
[ ] decreased a lot [ ] slightly decreased [ ] no change [ ] slightly increased [ ] increased a lot
19b.Please explain: (By how much has their income changed over the past five years?)
20. What benefits do you receive from your employer?
[ ] Vacation leave without pay
[ ] Vacation with pay
[ ] Health coverage
[ ] Pension
[ ] None of the above
[ ] Other__

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If respondent is employed in the tourism sector, ask questions 21 and 22.
21. How has your income changed since you have become employed in tourism? ______________
22. How has your savings changed since you have become employed in tourism?

Part III Poverty Indicators

Access to Education
23. How many children in your household attended school in the past year? _________________
26. How far do your children walk to attend school (one direction, in kilometers)? ___________
27. In total, how much do you pay in school fees per term? ____________________________
28. How much do you pay for school supplies per term? _____________________________
Living Standards
29. How many meals does your family eat in a day?
30. How many beds do you have in your home?
31. How much do you spend on food per day?
32. Where do you get your drinking water?
[ ] Tap [ ] Borehole [ ] Lake [ ] Other
33. How far is your current water source? (Measure in meters)
34. How much time does you and your household members spend retrieving water every day?
35. What energy sources do you use in your household?
[ ] Electricity [ ] Wood [ ] Paraffin [ ] Charcoal [ ] Candles [ ] Other
36. a) How much do you spend on energy sources per day?
If the response is zero cost, then ask question 43b.
36b). How much time do you and your household members spend collecting wood every
day?(hours)
37. Your current house is made of (Check all that apply. Include roof and walls.):
[ ] Straw [ ] Brick [ ] Metal Roofing [ ] Reeds [ ] Wood [ ] Other ___________________
40. Do you put your house on short rent basis when there is Kuomboka ceremony to accommodate
tourists? If yes, for how long and how many rooms do you use?
Communication
41. What type of phone do you have?
[ ] Land line [ ] Cell phone [ ] No phone
42. How much money do you spend on airtime every week?
Transportation
43. What mode of transportation do you use?
[ ] Walking [ ] Minibus [ ] Own Vehicle [ ] Taxi
44. How much money do you spend on transportation every week?
Security
45. Do you feel safe living in this community? Why or why not?
46. Who makes decisions about money in your household?
Part IV Tourism, Development, and Poverty Alleviation
47. How has tourism changed in Limulunga over the past five years?
48. How has tourism affected the local economy of Limulunga over the past five years?
49. How has tourism affected poverty in Limulunga over the past five years?

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION!!!

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