Tourism in Africa Driving Conservation Outcomes and Community Benefits

Africa hosts a significant percentage of the globe’s biodiversity. From the massive elephant herds, to the world-renowned wildebeest migration, to the awe-inspiring mountain gorillas, the continent holds some of the... [ view full abstract ]

Africa hosts a significant percentage of the globe’s biodiversity. From the massive elephant herds, to the world-renowned wildebeest migration, to the awe-inspiring mountain gorillas, the continent holds some of the world’s most unique, rare, and precious wildlife. Securing Africa natural heritage is challenging in the midst of continental change. Africa hosts some of the fastest growing economies in the world, human population is increasing, agriculture is expanding, and infrastructure development is booming. As a result, biodiversity is threatened.

The African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) works with the people of Africa to ensure the wildlife and wildlands endure forever. AWF has developed a portfolio of wildlife based tourism products with the objective of protecting Africa’s biodiversity. AWF’s products achieve the following objectives:

1. Generate Finance: via user rights or entry fee revenues that support the development or management of a conservation area or initiative;

2. Build Incentives: by creating or increasing ownership of nature-based revenue flows to relevant stakeholders (local communities or public sector agencies) to increase conservation incentives;

3. Optimize Sustainability: by deploying or promoting sustainable alternatives to damaging activities that threaten critical natural assets;

4. Reduce Encroachment: by increasing the economic productivity of buffer areas to reduce the need for encroachment into core conservation landscapes; and

5. Stimulate Engagement: by facilitating access to, and educational and inspirational experiences with nature that foster the increased engagement of constituencies in conservation.

Conservation tourism also has a number of potential other strategic attributes:

1. Financial Sustainability: Conservation outcomes can be generated on a sustainable basis by virtue of being supported by a commercial going-concern.

2. Promotion of Sustainable Values: Interactions with wide supplier and customer stakeholder bases can make tourism facilities distribution channels for conservation messages.

3. Enhanced Political Relevance: By using nature-based tourism to create jobs, sustain rural livelihoods, generate taxes and contribute to local and national economies and country brands.

This presentation will look at how AWF has driven conservation outcomes via tourism development. We will share best practices and the key factors required to develop effective and sustainable tourism products that achieve lasting conservation results.