Coastal Tourism and Economic Inclusion in Indian Ocean Rim Association States

The paper argues that while mass international tourism often excludes local entrepreneurs through all-inclusive enclave resorts, economic inclusion can be achieved by targeting budget, domestic, and regional tourism markets or by integrating local SMEs into the supply chains of larger accommodation establishments. It recommends improved data collection, strengthened research capacity, and the use of IORA structures to promote inclusive tourism policies.

• Mass tourism in IORA states is typically dominated by all-inclusive enclave beach resorts and international firms, which hinders inclusive development by excluding local entrepreneurs from the tourism value chain.
• Low-budget international tourism, as well as domestic and regional tourist markets, provide more secure entry points for the growth of locally owned SMEs and the empowerment of marginalised groups, including women and youth.
• Within the mass tourism model, economic inclusion is best achieved by integrating SMEs into supply chains, such as food inputs, which requires interventions in market information, finance, and both 'hard' (logistics, water) and 'soft' (organisational capacity, standards) infrastructure.
• There is a critical need for better data to monitor economic inclusion in coastal communities and increased research capacity to support evidence-based planning for marginalised groups.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2018). Coastal Tourism and Economic Inclusion in Indian Ocean Rim Association States. https://saiia.org.za/research/coastal-tourism-and-economic-inclusion-in-indian-ocean-rim-association-states-2/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Coastal Tourism and Economic Inclusion in Indian Ocean Rim Association States. 2018. https://saiia.org.za/research/coastal-tourism-and-economic-inclusion-in-indian-ocean-rim-association-states-2/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Coastal Tourism and Economic Inclusion in Indian Ocean Rim Association States |date=16 October 2018 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/coastal-tourism-and-economic-inclusion-in-indian-ocean-rim-association-states-2/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2018coastal, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Coastal Tourism and Economic Inclusion in Indian Ocean Rim Association States}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2018}, month = oct, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/coastal-tourism-and-economic-inclusion-in-indian-ocean-rim-association-states-2/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }