COMMUNITY BASED TOURISMIN Namibia

1. Background & Context2. Different CBT /

APPROACHES– Achievements– Best Practices

By Maxi Louis

Namibia’s CBNRM Programme

•Namibia 823,988 km²

CBNRM Programme Purpose: Empower Local Communities to Manage and Benefit From Their

Natural Resources in a Sustainable Fashion

Background & Context

Introduction

• Total population of 1,826,854 people on 823 988 km2

• 120 000 households on 335 000 km2 of communal land (41 % of total)

• 6200 private farms on 362 000 km2 of commercial land (44 % of total)

• Protected areas cover 114 000 km2 (14 % of total)

Conservation Policy and Legislative Framework

COMMERCIAL LAND:• 1968 / 1975 – Nature

Conservation Ordinance

• 1992 – Policy on Establishment of Conservancies in Namibia

COMMUNAL LAND:• 1995 – Policy on

Wildlife Management, Utilisation and Tourism in Communal Areas

• 1996 – Nature Conservation Amendment Act

Conservation Policy and Legislative Framework

COMMERCIAL LAND• Ownership over huntable

game in 1975• Booming wildlife industry• Options for mixed farming

included game ranching and tourism

• Farming units (5000 ha) too small for wildlife movements etc., thus formed conservancies

COMMUNAL LAND:• Wildlife remained

state property• Declining wildlife

numbers (internal and external poaching; unsustainable harvesting by colonial state)

Legal Basis of Conservancies

Government gazetteOf the

Republic of NamibiaN$1.20 Windhoek - 17 June 1996 No. 1333

contents

Government Notice Page

No. 151Promulgation of Nature Conservation Amendment Act, 1996 (Act 50f 1996), of the Parliament ………………………………………………. 1

Rights granted:

* Rights of Ownership over huntable game

* Rights to revenues from the Sale of Game or Game Products

* Rights to Tourism.

A registered conservancy, on behalf of the community it represents,

acquires new rights and responsibilities with regard to the

consumptive and non-consumptive use and management of wildlife:

Consumptive uses include: use of game for trophy hunting, consumption, commercial sale for meat or capture for live sale

Non-consumptive uses include: tourism ventures such as community-based tourism enterprises and joint venture agreements with private sector entrepreneurs

Rights of conservancies

Where are conservancies in Namibia?

A further 14 % of Namibia is protected under the state Protected Areas network, and 5 % is within conservancies on freehold land

Over 182,429 rural people live within conservancies

44 Conservancies gazetted to date

Around 105,276 km2, representing 10 % of Namibia, now falls within communal area conservancies

Different Commercialization Approaches

• Lodges• Community Lodges of Namibia• Small & Medium Enterprises• Trophy Hunting• Private Concessions

Marketing of Trophy Hunting

Campsites, crafts, guiding

Joint Venture Lodges

Joint Venture LodgesJoint Venture Lodges• JV Unit Established 2002• Purpose of building capacity to

capitalise on tourism potentials• Tender process in place to

solicit viable JV investments• Conservancies acquire Right

of Leasehold and negotiate binding sub-leasing contract with investor

• Government policies, procedures, legislation and support not yet adequate for attracting investments

• Lack of capital financing

The biggest CBT revenue earners are:

AccommodationEstablishments

Lodge partnerships with private sector investment have been the most successful model to date, but have limitations in terms of:

Empowerment of communities Limited number of potential investors Other investment barriers

Community Based Tourism Enterprises

Accommodation facilities in rural areas require…

Finance

Bus

ines

s sk

ills Experience

Eff

ectiv

e M

arke

ting

Logistical

backup

Booking&

Communication

SuccessfulCommunity

Based Tourism

• NACOBTA founded in 1995 by local communities who wanted to develop tourism enterprises in communal areas.

• 48 Active Member Enterprises- Campsites, rest-camps, traditional villages, craft centres, information centres, museums and local tour guides

• Support services to members: Training, Business Advice, Marketing, Small Grants, Advocacy, Booking and Information office

• Tourism & Business Plans – demand driven

• Quality product design and construction

• Appropriate & effective management

• Monitoring, evaluation and forward planning.

• Integrate into mainstream tourism

 

Community Lodges

Involve rural people in middle market tourism Upgrade the standards (and image) of CBT Develop a new model and approach for CBT• Performance based management agreement

between conservancy and lodge management company

• Management agreements between 3 and 5 years (depending on input of each party)

Private Concessions • Concessions policy under

development• Provide service through commercial

business approach.• Concessions for hunting and tourism• Generate Income (for state and

others)• Minimum investment required by

State• Developed world class tourism

attractions and services• Development of high end niche

markets

Trophy Hunting

• 5000 Trophy Hunters = Total economic contribution of N$160 million pa

• Wildlife increased (e.g 80% since 1960’s on Freehold Land.

• Brings very quick direct benefits to conservancy• Change of attitude – wildlife seen as valuable

commodity• Change in livelihood and land-use strategy – wildlife

and tourism seen as legitimate land use policy

• Community wildlife monitoring and management through game guard systems

• Quotas tendered• Tender negotiated, awarded and

managed by conservancy.• Administration – Government

acceptance of game counts, issuing and processing of quotas.

• Conflict between photographic tourism and hunting

• Lack of clear land use zonation plans

• Lack of political recognition of hunting industry

• Raise awareness amongst senior decision makers regarding value of hunting industry

• Foster and promote greater black involvement in hunting industry

• Awareness raising regarding conservation and development merits of hunting

CBNRM Program Benefits 1994 - 2005

02,000,0004,000,0006,000,0008,000,000

10,000,00012,000,00014,000,00016,000,00018,000,00020,000,00022,000,000

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

Year

N$

Conservancy Non-Financial Benefits

NR-based Household/Wage Income

Conservancy / Enterprise Committee Income

CBNRM Program 2005 - Source of Benefits

Crafts3%

Ow n Use Game5%

Interest Earned1%

Game Meat Dist.4%

Thatching Grass12%

Live Game Sale1% Campsites/CBTEs

21%

Trophy Hunting13%

Joint Venture Tourism37%

Total CBNRM Benefits = N$20,099,173

Total Conservancy Benefits = N$13,844,429

Total Household Income = N$9,109,779

Type of JV Total Conservancy Total Conservancy

Lodge 3,500,000 1,100,000 17,500,000 7,500,000CLON 0 0 5,000,000 2,500,000 1SME's 5,000,000 300,000 8,000,000 1,600,000Trophy Hunting 2,500,000 2,300,000 4,500,000 4,000,000Concessions 0 0 20,000,000 2,000,000 2

11,000,000 3,700,000 55,000,000 17,600,000

1. Based on 5 lodges at N$1m total and 50% returned to community2. Based on figure quoted by government (between N$10-N$50 m per year) and 10% to community

2003 2008

CBNRM JV Income projections 2003 - 2008

Summary

• Rural Namibians through the CBNRM program have demonstrated their intention to obtain positive benefits from wildlife management and conservation.

• Development of Mentorship Program as well as assistance from the Private Sector Operators.

• The Introduction of a Fee For Service Concept

• Need to work closely with financial institutions other then donor agencies for the support of community based tourism development in Namibia.

• Obtain positive input from Private Sector Operators in the Development of tourism SME’s

Conclusions

CBNRM and conservancies are an ideal mechanism to promote rural development because they:

• bring new and potentially large sources of income to poor rural people

• are excellent entry points for all forms of rural development because of the institutional mechanisms already in place

• are excellent entry points for integrated land and natural resource management initiatives

• promote good governance and democracy at local levels

• offer entry points for capacity-building, empowerment and skills transfer

• deliver real OUTCOMES to local and national development objectives.

Thanks !

Namibia National CBNRM Programme 2004 - Benefits

$0

$2,000,000

$4,000,000

$6,000,000

$8,000,000

$10,000,000

$12,000,000

$14,000,000

$16,000,000

1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Income from CBNRM activities

Non-cash income to conservancies

Cash income to conservancies