Protected areas and poverty reduction: The role of ecotourism livelihood in local communities in Ghana

Ecotourism has become a sustainable alternative to degrading livelihoods around protected areas in developing countries. Its contributions to poverty reduction are captured in terms of employment and income generation. As a result, studies assessing ecotourism's contributions have traditionally focused on the accumulation and distribution of the economic benefits. However, little attention has been given to the non-economic aspects relevant to poverty reduction. Using the livelihood approach, this article aims at assessing ecotourism impacts on the livelihoods of households. The results indicate that ecotourism contributes to reducing poverty, however, this can be enhanced by focusing on the non-economic aspects and minimizing its negative impacts on household livelihood.