First Pan-African Conference on Sustainable Tourism Management in National Parks and Protected Areas: Challenges and Opportunities
15-18 October 2012
Arusha, Tanzania
Following the invitation of the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is organizing the First Pan-African Conference on Sustainable Tourism Management in National Parks and Protected Areas: Challenges and Opportunities.
Nature-based tourism (also known as eco-tourism) is a large and growing global activity, based to a large extent onnatural assets and biodiversity (wildlife and scenery); an area in which African destination often have a strong competitive advantage.
Tourism can provide additional resources for biodiversity conservation and the sustainable use of public and private land. If managed in an integrated and efficient manner, parks can make a significant contribution to a country’s economy with benefits in terms of job creation, foreign exchange generation and the stimulation of a local business culture.
This first Conference aims to promote “park tourism” as one of the core components of national park management in Africa and build an overview of the current challenges facing park tourism in terms of demand and supply chains within the overall context of pressing development challenges.
