This research paper contends that tourism-led development should be
cognisant of local peoples’ own measures for change. The study argues that
local peoples’ aspirations for welfare should be based on the substantial, social,
cultural and economic aspects of their livings. The basis of any meaningful alternative
tourism development should support and strengthen the existing endogenous
resources within communities. It also should encourage interface
between tradition and modernity- endogenous and exogenous approaches.
Thus, this research paper positioned in the broader theory of Local Development
(LD), seeks to situate both endogenous and exogenous approaches as
complementary tools to promote competitiveness of the two cases, Cape Care
Route in Cape Metropole and West Coast Biosphere Reserve Trails in West
Coast Region. This research acknowledges that, local participation in tourism is
not always good as hypothesised in literature. Despite that, ways to enhance
integration of communities for greater local ecotourism development and nature
conservation are theorised as a possible solution for sustainability of ecotourism
projects.