Patience Nabakooza

Bernard Kanton
Shaun kudjawu

BIGODI SWAMP

East Africa's Uganda is an equatorial nation. The majority of people in Uganda are farmers.
Uganda actively encourages travel to develop rural areas. There hasn't been any research done on
how tourism might affect peasants. Uganda's national parks are the center of its tourism industry.
For the most part, because wildlife in parks destroys peasants' crops, national parks are a
significant source of conflict for peasants. National parks may therefore influence Uganda's
dynamics regarding tourism and peasants. In light of this, Bigodi Village, which is close to
Kibale National Park, was selected as the study's location.

(Bigodi Swamp - Bing, n.d.)

In western Uganda, a small village called Bigodi is located on the outskirts of Kibale National
Park (KNP). The majority of the population is a subsistence farmer, as is typical of rural Uganda.
Bigodi, in contrast to most other villages, has been engaged in tourism since 1991. Magombe
Swamp, a communally owned forested wetland, is what draws people to Bigodi. A wide variety
of primates and birds call the swamp home. Tourists are led through the swamp on
well-maintained boardwalks and trails by local interpreters.
Patience Nabakooza
Bernard Kanton
Shaun kudjawu
138 Species of birds have been found at Bigodi swamp

(Bigodi Swamp - Bing, n.d.)

Bigodi has worked in tourism since 1992. The goal of this research was to determine the impact
of tourism in Bigodi by analyzing local voices. The fundamental question was, "What does
tourism mean to the people of Bigodi?" Methods of qualitative research were employed.
Between 2002 and 2003, the researcher spent ten months in Uganda. Bigodi was home for six
months. Data were gathered through formal interviews (with 50 Bigodi residents and 15 national
tourism officials), informal conversations, and observation.

All data were analyzed within a grounded theory framework using the constant comparison
method. The analysis yielded a local meaning for tourism that was firmly rooted in the words of
Bigodi's residents. Residents identified several benefits of tourism, including money, improved
agricultural markets, communal benefits, and the notion that the benefits of tourism can arrive
by "chance." Residents identified crop raiding as the highest cost. The data revealed a nearly
Patience Nabakooza
Bernard Kanton
Shaun kudjawu
uniform meaning for tourism: the conservation of nature to attract foreigners who provide the
money and ideas required for development. This meaning denotes reliance.

Dependence is the polar opposite of self-reliance and long-term development. This study's
findings suggest that this dependency is not a direct result of tourism, but rather a perceived
external locus of control. Residents, in other words, believe they have little control over what
happens in their lives. This perception is based on historical, political, and economic forces, and
it creates a social and psychological environment that encourages dependency on tourism. As a
result, in the future, locus of control should be regarded as a critical variable for successful
tourism-based development.

The quality of the environment, both natural and man-made, is essential to tourism. However,
tourism’s relationship with the environment is complex and many activities can have adverse
environmental effects if careful tourist planning and management is not undertaken.

Construction of general infrastructure, such as roads and airports, as well as tourism-related

facilities, such as resorts, hotels, restaurants, shops, golf courses, and marinas, is largely to blame
for the negative environmental effects of tourism. The damaging effects of tourism growth have
the potential to gradually deplete the environment's resources.

The growth of tourism in Bigodi village has increased the demand for natural resources in areas
where they are already in short supply. The most frequently cited examples include the depletion
of other local resources, and the use of water resources, such as papyrus, which is widely grown
in Bigodi village.

Althug there are good results of tourism there are as well bad effects to the environment and on
the people as well as the economy of that particular village.

The money that would have been used to do other things like improving social services in the
Bigodi residents it then is used to improve tourist attractions which takes alot of money, because
they have to make the place look good and attractive.
Patience Nabakooza
Bernard Kanton
Shaun kudjawu

Decrease in Authenticity

The loss of authenticity brought on by tourism often has similar effects to globalization.
Essentially, authenticity refers to something that is original or unaltered. It is not counterfeit or a
replica in any way.When a tourist destination's cultural values and traditions change, the Western
world believes that it has lost its authenticity. But is this not natural, I would counter? Is culture
supposed to change with each generation or should it remain the same? Lot of people in Bigodi
changed their culture from the way they dress, speak and what they eat. They rather have
changed their culture into the Western people’s culture, most of them tend to wear the trousers
and shorts of these days yet they used to wear Gomesi and bark cloth, they used to eat matooke
but now they prefer eating KFC.

Who benefits more

● According to this area, the natives of Bigodi are benefiting more compared to the tourists
who go there, when tourists come to that area they buy the local goods of the natives such
as crafts, refreshments, and clothes, Provision of social services since the tourists are
bringing money. The commercialism of social arts- These businesses may also promote
the local cultures and arts. Museums, shows and galleries are fantastic ways to showcase
the local customs and traditions of a destination. This can help to promote/ preserve local
traditions.
● Tourism has created benefits in Bigodi such as a secondary and primary school, improved
housing, and extra income (Lepp, 2007).
● The natives get exposed to new culture and new food from the tourists which is a good
and bad thing at the same time, they get the chance to eat new foods and learn new
dances, the dressing code changes.

REFERENCES
Patience Nabakooza
Bernard Kanton
Shaun kudjawu
teams. (2023). Kibale National Park. Africa Geographic.
https://africageographic.com/stories/kibale-national-park/

Lepp, A. (2004). TOURISM IN A RURAL UGANDAN VILLAGE: IMPACTS, LOCAL

MEANING AND IMPLICATIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT. ResearchGate.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267820722_TOURISM_IN_A_RURAL_
UGANDAN_VILLAGE_IMPACTS_LOCAL_MEANIN
Lepp, A. (2007). Residents’ attitudes towards tourism in Bigodi village, Uganda. Tourism
Management, 28(3), 876–885. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2006.03.004
“13 Social Impacts of Tourism + Explanations + Examples.” Tourism Teacher,

tourismteacher.com/social-impacts-of-tourism.

Farra, Emily, and Alexis Bennett. “The 17 Most Popular Fashion Items of 2020.” Vogue, 8 Dec.

2020, www.vogue.com/article/fashion-items-that-defined-2020.