Mise en tourisme du patrimoine culturel et développement local de l’Arrondissement de Babadjou (flanc Est des Monts Bamboutos, Ouest-Cameroun)

Abstract

This study focuses on the "Implementation of cultural heritage tourism and local development of Babadjou subdivision (eastern flank of Mount Bamboutos, west-Cameroon)". In sectored development policies of Cameroon, the tourism sector still presents itself as a shortfall both nationally and locally and whose district of Babadjou not stand out. The central question of this study is that of exploitation of cultural heritage of the study area for tourism and thus, this work is intended as a contribution to broad visibility of the cultural potential of the Babadjou district highlighting the rich cultural heritage and alternative valuation and tourism development. The materialization of that research work is based on systemic methods, statistics and hypothetical-deductive. The systemic approach has enabled us to take the elements taking into account that they are not isolated entities but inter-linked. The statistical method in turn allowed us to quantify our indicators based on data from the field survey. Finally, the hypothetical-deductive method was to issue a priori assumptions that we tested during multiple investigations. So we made four assumptions whose principal is "the preservation, promotion and sale of cultural achievements of the district of Babadjou first pass through the identification of key cultural resources of the area, then their valuation and better dissemination for a wide visibility to promote better tourism development. Babadjou can therefore be a tourist destination. This would contribute to local development. " Investigations in the field have led us to the following results: first, Babadjou is marked by the exclusive originality of its art, its traditions, dances and festivities, his sartorial fashion, culinary arts, its artistic and historical heritage that fall within the spirit of knowledge, expertise and fascination of the customs of his people; climate favorable to the tourist attraction despite some weaknesses such as inadequate tourism infrastructure, low inclusion of tourism in local development policies. A plurality of actors with intertwined actions and sometimes competing strategies is involved in tourism in the locality. Logical referred by each of them and give rise to various socio-cultural and territorial practices that contribute to local development. Tourism actions envisaged in the field are organizing the festival Lehre, Babadjou community conference etc. Through this work, we show prospective alternative tourism development of cultural heritage of Babadjou by strengthening tourism ties Lehre festival, operation funeral for tourism and the creation of Babadjou cultural complex that would be a kind showcase of cultural expressions of Mbasso. This tourism development of cultural heritage will notorious socioeconomic implications including the creation of jobs, the development of basic social infrastructure, improving the standard of living via the subsidiary income etc. To boost sufficiency in the tourism sector in Cameroon both nationally and locally, innovative policies must be practiced like the strengthening of communication of heritage and promote the image of Cameroon in general and its main in particular areas, the synergy between the main actors and their professionalism, etc.