Journal of Tourism & Hospitality
Open Access

Abstract

An Investigating the SWOT Analysis of Cultural Tourism Heritage for Sustainable Tourism Development: The Case of LALIBELA Rock Hewn Churches, World Heritage Site, Ethiopia

Dagnachew Nega

Yearly, many nations try to inscribe their heritages under the list of world heritage site for the ensuring the sustainable tourism development. However there is a big problem of examining the strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats on the heritages for sustainable tourism development. The main objectives of his study are to inculcate the strength, weakness, opportunities and threats of cultural tourism heritage for sustainable tourism development in the case of world heritage site, Lalibela. To undertake this study, descriptive research was employed. The target populations were, the tour guides, the local communities, the hotel and tourism experts, religious fathers and tourists. Twenty one respondents were chosen through purposive sampling. The data instruments used were filed observation, in-depth- interview through telephoning and face to face and document review. The findings proved that strengths like the Lalibela cross, unique festivals, quality accommodation establishments, indigenous culture, 11 rock hewn churches, spectacular topography. Weaknesses are coordination problem, lack of professionals, sufficient budget problem, and lack of concern form UNESCO. Opportunities are government attention, to be pride, foreign exchange, developing awareness. Threats are carrying capacity problem, globalization, dependency on tourism, political instability. Thus, the stakeholders at the Lalibela destinations should try to identify minimize and solve the weakness threats and use the strengths and opportunities to ensure the sustainable tourism development at the destination.