Linking Culture and the Environment

210 Tourism and Poverty Alleviation
Table 12.5. Annual anticipated revenue for proposed local community empowerment
initiatives from four private sector operators bidding for KNP’s concessions.
(From Spenceley, 2004.)
Empowerment initiative
Range of revenue a (R)
Construction contract 23,500–3,200,000
Accommodation in local villages 60,000–900,000
Transport to and from lodging 30,000–350,000
Curios 6,3000–240,000
Food supplies 2,000–300,000
Laundry services 60,000–200,000
Game drives 50,000
Waste disposal 60,000–100,000
Maintenance 4.8,000–120,000
Catering 160,000
Furniture 115,000
Visits to local villages 50,000
Recycling 30,000
Creche/aftercare 20,000
Environmental education organization 16,000
Printing 2,000
Theatre 1,500
a
R1 = US$0.12912 on 1 December 2000.
populations’ social carrying capacity and improved conservation (Steele,
1995). As a second example, a review of southern African community-based
tourism enterprises (CBTEs) was undertaken by Spenceley (2008) as an initiative
from the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the Regional
Tourism Organization for Southern Africa (RETOSA) and the Dutch development
Agency SNV. Data from 218 CBTEs in Botswana, Lesotho, Madagascar,
Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland,
Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe were reviewed regarding their economic
impact on local people (i.e. in relation to employment, revenue generation,
visitation, local procurement of goods and services). The review found that
the 218 enterprises employed 2644 people between them, of which about
40% were women. People reported benefits such as access to finance, employment,
community infrastructure development, training and product purchasing.
Cumulatively the enterprises had given nearly US$4.5 million to
local projects during 2006, and many reported buying craft and agricultural
produce from local people, and using services such as cultural dancing, singing,
guiding and catering. On average, 196 of the enterprises each spent
around US$6500 on products and services annually in the local community
(cumulatively, US$965,954). Through employment, procurement and donations,
these enterprises were having a positive economic impact on poor people
living in the tourism destinations. However, the enterprises reported
problems too, and the most commonly reported limitations to the businesses
were accessibility and market access.