CENTRALISED DECENTRALISATION OF TOURISM DEVELOPMENT: A Network Perspective

While there is increasing recognition of the positive impacts of tourism on economic development in Sub-Saharan Africa, existing relationships between tourism industry stakeholders is fraught with challenges that constrain its development. Drawing on social network theory and stakeholder theory and through a series of key informant semi-structured interviews with tourism industry stakeholders, the paper explores the nature of participation by destination stakeholders in formulating and implementing tourism policy in Cameroon. It then explores a model of tourism development built around a centrally coordinated but decentralized tourism network that reaches out to all representative stakeholders when formulating and implementing tourism policies. The challenges involved in mobilizing destination stakeholders into such a system to allow for effective tourism development are critically examined.

► We examine constrains to tourism development in Cameroon.
► Stakeholder and network theories are combined to produce a development framework.
► Network centrality, decentralisation and stakeholder integration are key elements.
► Centralisation will ensure better coordination and policy formulation.
► Decentralisation will improve stakeholder participation and policy implementation.