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Author name
Date
THE AGA KHAN DEVELOPMENT NETWORK
LECTURE SERIES
2nd April 2019
DILYS ROE
Tourism as an engine for
local economic development

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Tourism to Africa – key stats
• In 2017 the tourism sector grew faster in Africa than any other
region of the world, and at double the pace of the global
economy.
• During the global financial crisis of 2007-2008, Africa was the
only region in the world that continued to experience growth in
the tourism industry.
• The African Development Bank (AfDB) estimates that, in 2015,
Africa received 62.5 million visitors, contributed 9.1 million
direct jobs in travel and tourism sectors, and generated $39.2
billion in international tourism receipts
• Arrivals increased from nearly 7 million in 1990 to over 26
million in 2000 and 62 million in 2017 with SSA receiving the
lions share

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Room for growth?
• Despite impressive statistics, Africa’s tourism industry remains
relatively underdeveloped.
• Of the 1.2 billion international travellers in 2016 only 5% arrived in Africa.
• Only 10 African countries receive $1 billion or more per year in tourism revenues,
• African Union Development Agency (prev NEPAD) recognises
tourism development as a priority sector and its Tourism Action
Plan aims to make Africa the destination of the 21st century.
• African Union Agenda 2063 puts tourism as a central objective
• Green Economy credentials: tourism one of a few “smokestack
free” development sectors
• Opportunities for extensive linkages to multiple sectors
• Women make up 80% of workforce

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What type of growth?
• WTTC: The new continental mantra is ‘growth, but
not at all costs’.
• Botswana Tourism Organisation: fees should be
directed to local communities eg a tourism levy or tax
• Sisa Ntshona (CEO South African Tourism): “when
people are included they protect; when people are
excluded they destroy.”
• Brookings Institute 2018: “Supporting a basis for
tourism also requires gaining support from the local
community, which makes visitors feel welcome and
contributes to the authentic experience that many
travellers are looking for. “

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Tourism in Uganda
• Vision 2040 – tourism a central pillar for economic
development
• 2011 Uganda was the 4th highest recipient of tourism
FDI ($165 million compared to South Africa ($6.1
billion), Kenya ($404 million) and Ghana ($270 million)
(Brookings Institute).
• Total receipts still low at $0.77bn in 2016 compared to
other African destinations (Brookings)
• But still significant - UBOS: 10% GDP, biggest export
earnings and biggest source of ForEx
• Giants Club Conservation and Tourism Investment
Forum 2017.
• UBOS: 1.8 million tourists in 2018

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Tourism, gorillas and
communities
IGCP estimated value of gorilla tourism
in Uganda at up to US$34.3 million in
late 1990s
Estimated by OECD as potential of
US$874 million at full capacity based on
2009 habituated gorilla numbers.

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Limited local benefits

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Our pilot initiative
Funded by:
UK Darwin Initiative
Implemented by:
IIED
Responsible Tourism
Partnership
IGCP
ITFC/MUST
BMCT
Golden Bees
Kwetu Afrika
Lets Go Travel

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Origins in 2012 research
project
• Conservation
“unfair”
• Costs outweigh
benefits
• Little revenue and
few jobs from
tourism
• Tourists come to
see gorillas only

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Key questions
1. Does the current non-gorilla tourism offer at Bwindi
satisfy tourists and tourism businesses?
2. Can capacity of poor people living close to the Bwindi
forest be developed to improve existing products and
services and/or to develop new ones?
3. Will improved products and services result in
increased sales to tourists, tour operators and
lodges?
4. Will increased sales of local tourism services and
products affect household incomes and, if so, what
difference will this make to local livelihoods?
5. Will increased income from tourism improve local
attitudes towards national park conservation?

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Our interventions
• 14 enterprises – crafts, bee keeping,
market gardening, guiding
• 4 professional trainers
• 400+ individuals trained over 12
month period
• Improvements to existing enterprises
and development of new

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Baskets – Kwetu Afrika

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Honey – Golden Bees

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Guiding – USAGA, RTP

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Fresh produce

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Impacts - sales
• Numbers of tourists visiting, and
purchasing from, the enterprises we
worked with increased by a factor of
3-10
• More lodges started to buy local
produce from the market gardening
initiatives, and many of those already
buying bought more or more regularly

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Impacts - livelihoods
• Most (64%) of the beneficiaries of
the project believed that their
income had increased
• Income increased on a monthly
basis both at the enterprise level
and to individual members of the
enterprises
• Income from sales was used for
solar lighting, chairs, school fees
and flip flops!
• Diverse veg for lodges improved
local food and nutrition
• Successful enterprises instilled
sense of pride and worth

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Impacts – conservation
• More individuals - women, men, Batwa, Bakiga - described
their relationship with the park as positive after the project
compared to before
• Conversely. fewer individuals described their relationship with
the park as negative after the project compared to before.
• More individuals that had been directly involved in the project
described their relationship with the park as positive
compared to others within their communities who had not
been involved
• Before the project, 38% of project participants believed living
near the park positively influenced their ability to lead a good
life. After the project this had increased to 59%.
• The main reason given was a recognition that the park
attracts tourists and tourists mean sales of products and
services.

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“I have been able to install solar to my house and children can now
read at night”
“After selling honey and vegetables to the park staff and lodges I
managed to pay school fees in time”
“Before the project, we would get two or four tourists per month, but
now we get about 30 tourists coming to visit our enterprise every
month. Each time they come, at least 20 will buy”
“When I hear that tourists are coming to Bwindi I feel good because
I will be sure of the market of my baskets. I weave above 10 baskets
to pay school fees for my children I cemented my house. I also buy
food for my family.”
THANK YOU!