Social sustainability in urban tourism development with reference to Entoto Park in Addis Ababa Ethiopia

Abstract This study assessed the social sustainability practices employed in the development and management of Entoto Park (EP) as an urban tourism destination in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Used convergent parallel mixed methods design, data were gathered from 387 randomly sampled residents and purposively selected stakeholders through key informant interviews. Survey data were analyzed using jamovi (Version 2.6.44) whereas interview data were analyzed thematically. Empirically, 94.57% of the sample resided proximate to the park, direct economic integration remained limited, where 47.03% were confined to low margin none tourism trade. Residents in transitional zone reported the lowest overall well-being scores. Multiple linear regressions indicated that economic practices emerged as strongest statistical predictor while Pearson correlation matrix revealed well-being, exhibited strongest overall association with economic sustainability practices $$(r =.76,\;p<.001)$$ . Economic overflow exhibited by low wage standards, and lack of permanent contracts. The park operated as urban upgrading, successful macro infrastructure asset that remained structurally decoupled from the local livelihood fabric; its social sustainability frameworks for locals had yet to mature. Therefore, institutionalizing local context with the economic inclusion policy is critical. To accomplish this, park’s administration and municipal authorities must formally establish community park liaison committees and transition park governance into an inclusive engine for socio economic empowerment.