2018年-世界发展银行全球_Supporting_Sustainable_Livelihoods_through_Wildlife_Tourism_64页_12mb

Summary of "Tourism for Development: Supporting Sustainable Livelihoods through Wildlife Tourism"

Core Content

This document, produced by the World Bank Group, explores the role of wildlife tourism in promoting sustainable development and conservation. It highlights the importance of nature-based tourism (NBT) as a driver of economic growth, job creation, and infrastructure development in rural communities and protected areas. The report emphasizes the need for community participation in tourism management to ensure both environmental sustainability and inclusive economic growth.

Main Points

1. Importance of Tourism

• Tourism is a significant contributor to global economies, generating $7.6 trillion in 2016 and supporting 292 million jobs globally.
• It is the largest market-based contributor to funding protected areas such as national parks.
• Tourism helps stem rural-urban migration, improves infrastructure, and boosts the dynamism of arts and crafts in the world market.
• The tourism sector is one of the few where female labor participation is above parity in some regions, with women accounting for up to 70% of all tourism workers.

2. Sustainable Wildlife Tourism

• Sustainable wildlife tourism is non-consumptive, meaning it does not involve the killing or removal of wildlife.
• It aims to conserve the environment, protect wildlife, and improve the well-being of local people.
• It is often considered a preferable land-use model to more environmentally damaging activities like agriculture or mining.
• Wildlife tourism can create economic incentives for communities to protect wildlife and its habitats.

3. Community-Based Tourism Enterprises

• These are businesses located within or managed by communities, such as eco-lodges and cultural villages.
• They help generate conservation incentives and enhance tourism experiences.
• Examples include:
  • Namibia: Communal conservancies like Grootberg Lodge, which is wholly owned by a conservancy, have created local jobs and reintroduced endangered species.
  • Kenya: Revenue-sharing arrangements and joint ventures with private companies have enabled communities to benefit from tourism, with 60% of tourism revenue going to community projects.
  • Uganda: Gorilla tourism has empowered women in communities like Mukono Parish, offering new income opportunities.
  • India: Community-based cultural tourism around the Pench Tiger Reserve has helped Gond tribal communities by showcasing their culture and traditions to tourists.

4. Tourism Impacts and Benefits

• Tourism can have a multiplier effect on the local economy, with every $1 spent in the tourism sector generating $3.20 in the broader economy.
• It helps protect cultural heritage through visitor spending on entrance tickets, guides, and souvenirs.
• It raises awareness of biodiversity threats and leaves a long-lasting impression of wildlife and protected areas.

5. Challenges and Considerations

• Poorly planned tourism can lead to negative impacts on cities, parks, and monuments, and may produce low-level jobs and pressure on resident communities.
• Tourism carrying capacity is a concept that aims to maximize visitor numbers without undermining environmental, economic, and sociocultural characteristics.
• However, carrying capacity is not a magic number due to:
  • Linear assumptions about impact, which ignore tourist behavior, infrastructure, and management.
  • Assumption that tourism is the only impact, when residents also use resources.
  • Subjectivity in assessments, leading to inconsistent results.
  • Focus on limiting numbers, not improving tourism quality.
  • Rarely adhered to, making it ineffective as a management tool.

Key Information

• Global Trends: The demand for nature and wildlife tourism is expected to grow rapidly over the next two decades.
• Market Drivers: People are increasingly interested in wildlife, nature, and authentic experiences, especially millennials.
• Protected Areas: They cover 15% of land and 12% of water globally, with high visitor concentrations.
• Charismatic Species: Wildlife tourism often centers on charismatic animals, such as tigers, jaguars, orangutans, elephants, and manta rays.
• Economic Impact: For example, gorilla tourism in Uganda contributes up to $34.3 million annually, and elephant tourism in 110 protected areas sees 2 million visitors per year.
• Inclusive Development: Community participation is essential for inclusive poverty reduction and sustainable wildlife conservation.
• Partnerships: The Global Wildlife Program (GWP), funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), works with 19 countries in Africa and Asia to combat illicit wildlife trafficking and promote sustainable tourism.

Recommendations and Next Steps

• Enabling Conditions:

  • Develop socially and economically sustainable conservation programs.
  • Promote community-led tourism models.
  • Create transparent revenue-sharing systems.
  • Ensure community involvement in tourism planning and management.

• Management Considerations:

  • Focus on improving quality of experiences, not just limiting numbers.
  • Use tourism carrying capacity as a guiding principle, not a strict limit.
  • Encourage innovative investments and private-sector partnerships.
  • Leverage tourism as a conservation tool and a source of funding.

Conclusion

This report underscores the potential of wildlife tourism to drive sustainable development and conservation, particularly when community involvement is prioritized. It also highlights the importance of innovative partnerships and strategic planning to ensure that tourism benefits both nature and local people. The World Bank Group and its partners are actively working to support these efforts through funding, research, and collaboration.