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Human–wildlife tourism conflict: towards an inclusive wildlife resources utilisation approach in southern Africa

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Abstract

The study examines wildlife tourism and local community livelihoods conflict in three southern African countries. The study incorporates the concept of community inclusiveness to reinvigorate wildlife utilisation research through qualitative interpretive methodologies. Despite the wildlife tourism sector`s multi-billion dollar status, local communities living adjacent to wildlife sanctuaries still suffer deprivation and significant need. Findings further suggested that local communities have been pushed to the periphery of the wildlife tourism value chain; and attempts to meaningfully benefit from wildlife tourism have been curtailed by a combination of institutional barriers and inflexible Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species’ contemporary wildlife utilisation regime. Additionally, community voices on matters of wildlife tourism policy formulation and its inclusive use remain suppressed. It was concluded that contemporary wildlife tourism utilisation frameworks are not a shining example of community poverty alleviation strategies in the context of southern Africa; hence a root and branch shake up of the models is recommended.

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This research was carried out on respondents after full disclosure of the purpose and objectives of the study. Participants voluntarily consented to participate in the study. No minors nor vulnerable individuals were involved as respondents during data collection. The study did not use unorthodox means of collecting data. There was no conflict of interest nor any envisaged commercial gain accruing to the researcher by undertaking the study. The manuscript has not been submitted to any other journal neither is it under consideration in any other journal. The writer acknowledged ideas from other authoritative sources as far as possible. Information contained in the manuscript is not harmful to any organisation. In view of this, the research therefore complied with acceptable ethical standards.

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Zhou, Z. Human–wildlife tourism conflict: towards an inclusive wildlife resources utilisation approach in southern Africa. GeoJournal 88, 931–949 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-022-10667-8

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