The quality and performance nexus of the community-based ecotourism enterprises at Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda: a total quality management perspective

Community-based ecotourism enterprises (CEEs) adjacent to Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda, can significantly enhance their performance by adopting total quality management (TQM) practices. Key TQM strategies—such as training programs, benchmarking against industry standards, employee empowerment, and integrating performance metrics—were found to be critical for CEE success. Notably, this study identifies benchmarking and employee empowerment as new dimensions of TQM particularly relevant for small and medium-sized organizations. These insights suggest that a holistic application of TQM practices across all operational stages could improve the sustainability and effectiveness of CEEs, offering a blueprint for similar conservation efforts in developing regions.

Munanura, I. E., Tumwesigye, B., Sabuhoro, E., Mariza, D., & Rugerinyange, L. (2017). The quality and performance nexus of the community-based ecotourism enterprises at Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda: a total quality management perspective. Journal of Ecotourism, 17(2), 160–183. https://doi.org/10.1080/14724049.2017.1304945