Conservation pressures abound
Pressures Abound
Despite a growing number of conserved areas and heavy investment in wildlife conservation and management, there have been extreme and widespread losses of wildlife and natural areas over the last decades.
Tourism is critical to wildlife conservation and vice vera, wildlife in integral to tourism.
The contribution made by wildlife tourism to total tourism income has historically not been fully appreciated. In 2018 it was estimated that over one third of all direct tourism GDP across Africa could be attributed to wildlife.
80% of trip sales for tour operators were made for wildlife watching.
US$ 29bn revenue generated by the sector.
3.6mn people employed by the sub-sector.
