L’innovation sociale comme support au développement des activités écotouristiques

Sylvain Mbongui-Kialo (), Saturnin Ndotit-Manguiengha and Junior Mouele-Balimbi
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Sylvain Mbongui-Kialo: UVSQ - Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, LAREQUOI - Laboratoire de recherche en Management - UVSQ - Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines

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Abstract: Among the various proposed solutions to improve the well-being of people in rural areas, social innovation is regularly seen as an interesting alternative. This new form of innovation has a particular resonance in the field of ecotourism that includes the protection of the environment, the development of tourism and the improvement of local populations' well-being. This report opens a perspective of research. Studies on this subject are limited mostly to tourism innovation (such as improving the quality of service or the visitor's experience). We believe that it would be desirable to combine social innovation and ecotourism in order to take into account all the issues related to the preservation of natural resources and to the living conditions of host communities. This article therefore aims to show how social innovation can participate in the wellbeing and the protection of wildlife resources in the context of ecotourism. Based on an exploratory study, our investigation presents the results of a study whose data collection was made possible through 34 semi-structured interviews administered with a variety of actors operating in a national park of Gabon. This article highlights that social innovation can help to create social enterprises that would create jobs in protected areas, while reducing the risk of environmental degradation. Also, our findings support the idea that commercial activities within the park can generate funds to finance innovative social projects and can develop responsible behavior among stakeholders through communication and environmental education. Moreover, they show that without the agreement of all the different stakeholders, the ecotourism process will be incomplete. Therefore, even if it solves social problems, its incompleteness creates new ones. Finally, this study suggests further research in a variety of areas that include a study of the motivations of the various stakeholders involved in the construction process of collective action in the context of social innovation and/or ecotourism.

Keywords: Social innovation; Ecotourism; Environmental communication (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
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Published in RIMHE : Revue Interdisciplinaire Management, Homme(s) & Entreprise, 2015, 4 (16)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04200015

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