Walia Special Edition on the Bale Mountains (2011) - Zoologische ...

An increase in tourism investment into the park would mean a greater demand for local staff
and service provision by communities. Increasing the number of lodges would directly increase
benefits through employment as well as temporary benefits ranging from local building contractors
to catering suppliers for example. Tourism could open up other opportunities for community small
business development such as community managed tourism facilities and selling goods such as
curios and souvenirs. The following section describes some of the financial strategies proposed in
the BMNP Business Plan to improve benefits both to the park and the surrounding communities as
a result of tourism.
Financial Strategies
Income derived from tourism in the BMNP is well below that of its potential and there are many
strategies that could be developed with which to increase revenue from recreational services and
to be more cost effective. Currently the BMNP is tapping into the low end poor service provision
market. There is only one lodge, which is poorly equipped, where tourists can stay with other options
being designated campsites with no facilities. Income is derived from park entrance fees and lodge
fees which include bed nights and miscellaneous services such as payments for sauna and kitchen
usage. In addition to increased income from gate fees, tourism is a great opportunity whereby nonconsumptive
benefits to communities can be improved. The BMNP Business Plan identifies some
strategies whereby income to the park from gate fees and tourism can be increased and benefits to
the communities improved.
Attaching a community levy on park entrance fees
Community levies are one-off fees or taxes paid by tourists on top of their park entrance fees which
go directly into a Community Development Fund (CDF). In South Africa nearly all parks apply a
mandatory community levy on top of park entrance fees. Typically this fee is between US$5-10. In
KZN, community levies from tourism raise about US$750,000 p.a., which is distributed to different
CDFs by local boards (Buckley and Sommer 2001). These funds are then used for different things
decided by the communities, such as schools or in one instance the local communities used their
money to purchase a concession to build a lodge in the Imfolozi Game Reserve, KZN South Africa.
A recent survey carried out with randomly selected tourists visiting the BMNP in January
2009 showed that 78% of tourists questioned said they would pay a voluntary community levy if
the option was available. Their willingness to pay ranged from US$5-$50, with the majority willing
to pay a one-off US$5 community levy. This is in line with levies charged by South African Parks.
Given current tourist numbers to BMNP (1500 p.a.) and assuming 78% of tourists would opt to
purchase a voluntary levy at ETB 50, this scheme has the potential to generate up to almost ETB
5,000,000 over the next five years. However, this number also has great potential to increase if
tourism numbers increase as expected (due to tourism development initiatives currently on going in
the park) or should the levy become mandatory in the future.
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