Residents’ perceptions of tourism in bobiri forest and butterfly sanctuary, Ashanti Region

Abstract

As part of the efforts to sustain the tourism industry, tourism planners and developers are required to monitor and evaluate tourism projects, bearing in mind the perceptions of host communities in order to gain their support and goodwill. The study assessed residents’ perceptions of tourism in Bobiri Forest and Butterfly Sanctuary. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used for the data collection. Interview schedules were used to collect data from 200 household heads residing in communities around Bobiri Forest and Butterfly Sanctuary. Views of four (4) key informants were solicited through interview guide. Chi-square statistics, Factor analysis, T-test and ANOVA were used to analyses the data. It was revealed that residents perceived both positive and negative impacts of tourism development, but were more inclined to the positive environmental impact than the socio-cultural and economic impacts. Respondents’ were fairly well represented in tourism related decisions concerning the Bobiri Forest project. Residents’ participation in the project was mainly coercive or induced form and preferred future tourism development to be on large scale. It is recommended that the Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG) in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts should manage the impacts of tourism and also encourage greater community participation in the Bobiri Forest project.