The threat of COVID-19 to the conservation of Tanzanian national parks
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The threat of COVID-19 to the conservation of Tanzanian national parks. / Ranke, Peter Sjolte; Kessy, Beatrice Modest; Mbise, Franco Peniel; Nielsen, Martin Reinhardt; Arukwe, Augustine; Røskaft, Eivin.
In: Biological Conservation, Vol. 282, 110037, 2023.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - The threat of COVID-19 to the conservation of Tanzanian national parks
AU - Ranke, Peter Sjolte
AU - Kessy, Beatrice Modest
AU - Mbise, Franco Peniel
AU - Nielsen, Martin Reinhardt
AU - Arukwe, Augustine
AU - Røskaft, Eivin
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Authors
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - In many low-income countries, the conservation of natural resources in protected areas relies on tourism revenue. However, tourist numbers in Africa were severely reduced by the COVID-19 pandemic, thus, putting the conservation of these important protected areas at risk. We use records from gate passings at national parks across Tanzania to demonstrate the immediate and severe impact on tourist numbers and revenues resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions, and whether international and local (East African) tourists were affected equally. We discuss mechanisms that may reduce future negative impacts of sudden loss of revenue from international tourism, such as increasing the revenue portfolio and thereby decrease the dependency on revenues from international tourists. More important, we encourage local governments, national park authorities, and the world community to further develop and initiate external funding options to reduce the dependency on income from international nature-based tourism to preserve national parks and biodiversity. An additional long-term goal for ensuring sustained conservation would be to increase benefits to local communities adjacent to national parks, encouraging local involvement and thereby reducing the dependence on external funding in the future.
AB - In many low-income countries, the conservation of natural resources in protected areas relies on tourism revenue. However, tourist numbers in Africa were severely reduced by the COVID-19 pandemic, thus, putting the conservation of these important protected areas at risk. We use records from gate passings at national parks across Tanzania to demonstrate the immediate and severe impact on tourist numbers and revenues resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions, and whether international and local (East African) tourists were affected equally. We discuss mechanisms that may reduce future negative impacts of sudden loss of revenue from international tourism, such as increasing the revenue portfolio and thereby decrease the dependency on revenues from international tourists. More important, we encourage local governments, national park authorities, and the world community to further develop and initiate external funding options to reduce the dependency on income from international nature-based tourism to preserve national parks and biodiversity. An additional long-term goal for ensuring sustained conservation would be to increase benefits to local communities adjacent to national parks, encouraging local involvement and thereby reducing the dependence on external funding in the future.
KW - Conservation
KW - COVID-19
KW - National parks
KW - Pandemic
KW - Revenues
KW - Tourism decline
U2 - 10.1016/j.biocon.2023.110037
DO - 10.1016/j.biocon.2023.110037
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 37056580
AN - SCOPUS:85152264219
VL - 282
JO - Biological Conservation
JF - Biological Conservation
SN - 0006-3207
M1 - 110037
ER -
ID: 344795219