ABSTRACT
Notwithstanding the commoditising and globalising effects of tourism development, the Goo-Moremi Cultural Landscape, a community-based tourism project in Eastern Botswana, has remained culturally resilient, maintaining its strong sense of identity and cultural integrity over a long period. This case study in brief examines the sources of such resilience. The findings suggests that the community’s cultural resilience is largely due to its strong resolve not to bend its longstanding cultural norms and codes of behaviour to accommodate tourism. Instead, tourism development and tourists themselves are expected to adhere to the Goo-Moremi people’s prescriptions – not the other way around. Thus, where the appropriate safeguards are in place, tourism development does not always result in the destruction of cultural authenticity in destination areas. Instead, tourism can promote cultural preservation and sustainability and reinforce traditional norms and values.
