Empowering Local Community through the Provision of Information and Knowledge and the Ownership of Tourism Enterprises in Rwanda

This study investigated the role of empowering the local community through the provision of information and knowledge on the ownership of tourism enterprises, with the aim of improving social-economic wellbeing of the host communities surrounding Volcanoes National Park. The study employed a descriptive research design using a mixed-methods approach, combining a survey of 272 respondents with thirteen key informant interviews. The study was limited to the community members affiliated with tourism cooperatives and excluded other residents of Musanze. Correlation and regression analyses were applied to evaluate the relationship between information and knowledge and the ownership of tourism enterprises in Kinigi Sector, Musanze District Community. The results indicate that information and knowledge are significant predictors of tourism enterprises ownership in Musanze District, Rwanda. Consequently, the study recommends optimising public hearings to better disseminate information and knowledge regarding the attainability of tourism enterprises ownership. Local leadership can help mobilise their communities to ensure no member misses the public hearings. Information regarding the full benefits of community-owned and managed tourism enterprises in Musanze District must be circulated more frequently. These efforts will improve the well-being of Kinigi sector residents, making community ownership of tourism enterprises more sustainable.