Abstract
This chapter looks at the impacts and implications of rhino poaching on sustainable wildlife tourism development in South Africa. We explain wildlife tourism and what motivates people to seek such experiences and the economic contribution of wildlife tourism, and the threat of wildlife poaching to tourism. The background and extent of rhino poaching in South Africa are discussed, particularly in the Kruger National Park, where poaching has been the fiercest. The economic impact of wildlife poaching on tourism and tourists highlights the three main consequences: the longer-term loss of tourism revenue through the potential decrease in arrivals which impacts both conservation efforts and socio-economic development in communities; the short-term impacts on the tourists’ experience; and finally the loss of the inherent value of the animal shown to be far more challenging to quantify. The chapter discusses the economic dimension of anti-poaching measures, and the chapter briefly mentions the complexities of poaching and anti-poaching actions to communities.
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Notes
- 1.
As with the rest of the world’s tourism arrivals predictions, this figure has been severely impacted by the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- 2.
In South Africa unemployment post-COVID stands at approximately 33% in 2021, according to Statistics South Africa.
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Lubbe, B. (2022). The Impact of Rhino Poaching on the Economic Dimension of Sustainable Development in Wildlife Tourism. In: Saarinen, J., Lubbe, B., Moswete, N.N. (eds) Southern African Perspectives on Sustainable Tourism Management. Geographies of Tourism and Global Change. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-99435-8_13
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