the role of tourism in natural resource management in the okavango ...

development and changes in traditional natural resource management and utilisation
structures in the Okavango Delta.
These major themes were used to evaluate the current status of tourism and natural
resource management in the Okavango Delta, with a view to gaining a more
comprehensive understanding of tourism's impacts on natural resources in the area
of study.
4.10 Summary and Conclusion
A total of 224 tourists, 63 managers of hotels, lodges and safari camps, and 50 local
inhabitants in the Okavango Delta region took part in three structured questionnaire
surveys. The data was used to ascertain the interrelationships between tourism
development, natural resource management and socio-demographic, environmental,
economic and cultural factors. A total of 15 government employees, academics,
private sector employees and other key tourism and natural resource personnel
were subjected to in-depth interviews. The data was used to ascertain the current
status of tourism and natural resource management and utilisation in the Okavango
Delta region, and their associated problems.
Careful consideration was given to the conceptual framework on which the
hypotheses for this study were based, due to the complex nature of the
interrelationships between the tourism industry and natural resource management.
This study intends to establish a baseline of information on the physical impacts of
tourism on an area's natural resources, as well as its associated socio-economic
impacts on local inhabitants dependent upon such resources.
The next chapter provides an overview of the country of Botswana, and the study
area, the Okavango Delta.
Lastly, Figures 4.3 and 4.4 present a schematical representation of the
methodological process undertaken with regard to the objectives of the study.
114