COMMUNITY EXPECTATIONS FROM RURAL TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AT LEKHUBU ISLAND, BOTSWANA

This article uses the community-based tourism (CBT) and the rural development approach to analyze community expectations from a CBT project at Lekhubu Island by the Mmatshumu Village, Botswana. This is a qualitative study that utilizes secondary data sources, focus group discussions, in-depth and key informant interviews, and informal interviews as well as observations. Results suggest a considerable degree of positivity among members of the community in terms of deriving economic benefits such as employment and infrastructural development. While this is desirable and expected for a CBT project, there is need to inform the communities about trade-offs that they may have to contend with when the project and related tourist activities evolve and expand.