The State of Wildlife Tourism in the Southern African Region: The Case of the Southern African Development Community (SADC)

Wildlife tourism is a significant contributor to the economy of Southern Africa. It is characterised by the interaction of humans with various species of wild animals, their habitats, and related natural resources. The chapter focuses on the state of wildlife tourism in the Southern African region, using the case of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Using extant literature, the chapter aims to identify and synthesize the state of wildlife tourism in Southern Africa. Wildlife tourism is based on the conceptualisation of the wildlife experience by tourists. This type of tourism has gained popularity over the years as people become more interested in conservation, education, documentary, research, and thrill-seeking purposes. Results indicate that by providing people with experiences in nature, wildlife tourism seeks to encourage environmental conservation and raise awareness about the importance of protecting wildlife and their habitat. Results also indicate that, it creates challenges for conservationists, as they must balance the impact of human interaction with the environment, which include the preservation of ecosystems and species habitats. The balance between tourism activities and conservation efforts is challenging, particularly in impoverished regions where communities depend on the revenue generated by wildlife tourism. However, wildlife tourism in SADC was greatly affected by the global pandemic and is also susceptible to climate change-induced extreme weather conditions. Overall, the state of wildlife tourism in Southern Africa is a complex issue that has practical and/or policy implementation implications.