Tourism Stakeholders and Their Roles for Tourism Development: Evidence from Nekemte Town as a Tourist Destination in Western Oromia, Ethiopia

Tourism stakeholders play central roles in shaping destinations' development courses in any country. Despite great scholarly attention to tourism stakeholders worldwide, the Nekemte's town stakeholder context remains untouched. This study addresses this gap by examining the diverse stakeholders influencing tourism development in Nekemte. Using a pragmatic research approach, participants were purposefully selected based on their expertise and active involvement in local tourism. The research employs qualitative analysis to illuminate stakeholders' roles, revealing ambiguities in their perceived contributions to tourism development. The findings emphasize the critical need for clarifying stakeholder roles, fostering collaborative efforts, and conducting further research to unlock Nekemte's tourism potential for comprehensive development. Embracing these insights promises to unite stakeholders and position Nekemte as a leading tourist destination. Keywords: Stakeholder, Tourism Development, Tourism Stakeholders; Stakeholders’ Collaboration, Stakeholders’ Role; Tourism Destination DOI: 10.7176/JTHS/68-02 Publication date: January 30th 2025