Non-Formal Education on Sustainable Tourism for Local Stakeholders in the Marico Biosphere Reserve: Effectiveness and Lessons Learned

Education is essential to empower communities towards sustainable destination development. While research has covered the importance of participation and empowerment in achieving sustainable tourism in communities, academic discourse on educating local communities on sustainable tourism, particularly education via non-formal means, is scarce. To address this gap, our research aimed to determine perceptions of local stakeholders on the efficacy of a sustainable tourism workshop in the Marico Biosphere Reserve, South Africa. Sustainability is the cornerstone of biosphere reserves, with this reserve choosing sustainable tourism as its main development route. A workshop on sustainable tourism was designed according to the needs identified and offered to stakeholders involved in the reserve. This was followed by qualitative research via focus group interviews to investigate the positive effects perceived following this non-formal education event. The data culminated in a model, wherein the greatest effect was increased awareness regarding sustainable tourism. The themes of increased positivity, interest, and empowerment in sustainable tourism, as well as a desire to participate more, were also evident. In addition, interesting linkages between certain themes and codes emerged, which emphasize the positive knock-on effects of non-formal education in sustainable tourism. While the findings cannot be generalized to all contexts, they suggest the success of this type of education in furthering sustainable development practices for the betterment of local communities and tourists, as well as the natural environment. Furthermore, this exploratory research can inform the achievement of certain Sustainable Development Goals and guide managers and stakeholders in different settings who want to implement education on sustainable tourism.