COMPREHENSIVE PARTICIPATION: A THEORETICALLY HAILED YET PRACTICALLY DISREGARDED APPROACH TO SUSTAINABLE ECOTOURISM

The commitment and attitudes of all stakeholders, as well as giving recognition to their value as partners in the ecotourism domain, are crucial elements in ensuring sustainable ecotourism development. The social capacity theory (SCT) posits that implementing networks of relationships is a fundamental basis for successful and sustainable tourism development. However, research has shown that the planning and management of numerous ecotourism development programs are marred by a top-down approach. This study examined the level of stakeholder participation in ecotourism activities in the Umfolozi Municipality to determine if any gaps exist in the participation structure of this key economic enterprise. A concurrent exploratory mixed methods design was operated using qualitative and quantitative survey. Qualitative data that were collected from purposefully sampled participants were thematically analysed, while quantitative data that were collected from conveniently sampled respondents were analysed using SPSS software. The findings highlight the centralisation of power and a fragmented ecotourism landscape in the study area that is plagued by manipulative participation, lack of collaboration, lac k of co-ordination, lack of awareness, and apathy among key stakeholders.