The Realities of Ecotourism Development in Botswana - Responsible Tourism: Critical Issues for Conservation and Development - page 187

Table 9.3 Income generated by ecotourism projects in different regions of Botswana

Community Trusts Type of Ecotourism Project Income in Pula, a 1995-2005

Okavango Delta/ 1997 2000 2005

Chobe Regions
Sankoyo Tshwaragano Photographic, camping, hunting 285,000 595,460 1,630,400

Management Trust and sale of crafts

Chobe Enclave Photographic, camping and 464,000 1,030,000 1,500,000

Community Trust hunting

Okavango Photographic, camping and 400,000 950,000 1,800,000

Community Trust hunting

Kalepa Trust Photographic, camping and hunting 2930 270,000 1,500,000

(1998)

Kgalagadi/Ghanzi Regions
Nqwaa Khobe

Photographic, camping, hunting - 180,000 109,150

Xeya Trust and sale of crafts

Huiku Trust Photographic, camping, hunting - 59,200 66,000

and sale of crafts (2002)

Kweneng/Central Regions
Gaing-O Photographic, camping, hunting 11,000 74,000 78,586

Community Trust and sale of firewood (1999) (2001)

Baikago Harvesting and marketing - 12,580 -

Development Trust devil's claw, veld products, trees etc
Note: a Income being tourist expenditure on accommodation, land rentals, sale of wildlife quota, sale of crafts,
etc.

Source: Schuster, 2007

Ecotourism projects found in northern Botswana where there is an abundance of
wildlife resources generate more income than those found in the western, central
and eastern parts of the country where wildlife resources are less than those in the
north. This is illustrated by Table 9.3 which shows that communities in the
Okavango and Chobe regions generate more income than those in the Kgalagadi,
Kweneng and Ghanzi areas. Ecotourism projects in the Okavango and Chobe
regions also employ more people than those in the Kgalagadi, Kweneng and
Ghanzi regions.
As noted earlier, in this chapter the definition of ecotourism is not restricted
to tourists visits to nature-based areas but also involves the small scale production
of natural resources for the tourist market. Based on this understanding, most of
the ecotourism projects in the Kweneng, Central, Ghanzi and Kgalagadi regions
were found to rely on the production of craft products, thatching grass and the
harvesting of natural resources such as devil's claw ( Harpogophytum procumbens ).
This shows that communities in these regions have diversified ecotourism beyond
the use of wild animals, birds or forests to use veld products such as the devils
claw, thatching grass and other natural resources but all with the basic aim of
benefiting from the ecotourists visiting their areas.