A LOOK AT TOURISM AND LOCAL DEVELOPMENT IN MOZAMBIQUE

Abstract

This study develops a reflection on how tourism participates or can participate in local development in Mozambique. In order to develop the reflection beyond the author’s perception about the subject addressed, we sought to make interpretations of some existing studies on the theme in question, and therefore, we made a bibliographic and documentary review. The results of the reflection indicate that Community participation in decision-making on development processes in general and tourism in particular is still barely visible. The decisions are seen by other actors in tourism, including the State. This fact, among other factors, is a reflection of an absence of empowerment on the part of the community that in turn can find its explanation in history, colonial and more recently in democratic centralism in which individuals and communities were obliged to be obedient, to accept the higher decisions, without questioning. Today, in democracy and a liberal economy, greater community participation in its own destinies was expected. However, although there is some change, in general the situation remains. Therefore, considering that when talking about local development, the community is expected to be the main author of its own destiny, we have come to the conclusion that tourism’s participation in local development is still very limited, because the decision is in the hands of other actors. The community does not have to seek to engage and take advantage of an activity that, to some extent, can be said to have been imposed on it.