Implications of Responsible Tourism for Conservation and Development in Southern Africa - Responsible Tourism: Critical Issues for Conservation and Development - page 339

widespread poverty among its inhabitants, Madagascar provides a critical testing
ground for responsible tourism practices.
Planning gain is a powerful tool that protected area agencies can use to
allocate tourism concessions to develop enterprises that promote both biodiver-
sity conservation and local economic development. Giju Varghese describes the
process of developing public-private partnerships in South Africa, and what has
been learned through the process.Taking a business approach to tourism develop-
ment, this chapter provides behind-the-scenes insights into how a conservation
parastatal, South African National Parks, has integrated commercial and empow-
erment objectives into its policies and practices. By welcoming the private sector
into national parks, the organization has not only benefited from enhanced
income, but also from a higher quality of tourism product, better conservation
practices, higher levels of local involvement and benefits from nature-based
tourism. However, it is clear that the process has led to a number of lessons that
can be used by conservation agencies in other developing countries: including
how to manage contracts and how to ensure a fair and equitable system that is
market-related. The chapter also shows that the participation of marginalized
sectors of society (e.g. including the poor) in the commercialization process has
been constrained, and that efforts need to be made to improve their level of
involvement and provide more employment in remote areas. Varghese adds to the
growing body of knowledge on the value of public-private partnerships in south-
ern Africa in creating equity for local community members, tangible economic
benefits, and real rather than token engagement in the private sector (e.g. Ashley
and Jones, 2001 in Namibia; Gujadhur, 2001 in Botswana; Poultney and
Spenceley, 2001 in South Africa; de la Harpe et al, 2004 in southern Africa).
Illustrating the role of development agencies in facilitating responsible
tourism development, Steve Collins and Herman Snel describe the work of GtZ
in supporting the government's Department of Environmental Affairs and
Tourism in South Africa. In the Richtersveld, they engaged with a Community
Property Association and local Municipality by providing financial and technical
support, to draft an Integrated Development Plan that addressed tourism, conser-
vation and local economic development. However, problems arose later in
matching the expectations of the community to transform their livelihoods
through tourism, and the actual market demand for community-based tourism
products in that area, which was relatively low. Through the process GtZ learned
of the difficulties in establishing a tourism economy, particularly in remote areas
on communal land, where communities take time to agree on decisions, and when
insufficient resources were invested in promotion and where there is no private
sector partner. However, in the Makuleke region of Kruger National Park, activi-
ties by GtZ and other committed stakeholders had more positive impacts.
Empowered to partner with the private sector on their restituted land, concession
contracts and job creation was estimated at US$4.8 million in the first years of
operation. The residential areas where community members live have also been
enhanced with improved infrastructure and services (including electrification),
and a small business support company has been developed. Here also there are