A major shift in how tours involving wild animals are operated is essential, or endangered species in Africa will be completely wiped out.
This was the message at the World Responsible Tourism debate during World Travel Market, where a need for a new approach to safari tourism was called for.
Moderating, the BBC’s Stephen Sackur pointed out that tourism could be a part of the solution or contribute to the problem of endangered wildlife.
Charlie Mayhew, chief executive of Tusk Trust, revealed that 30,000 elephants are lost each year to poaching and loss of habitat, adding that the animal’s population is “only going one way”.
He said that if tourism declines due to security issues in the likes of Kenya, jobs are under threat and land will be sold cheaply, leading to a further loss of habitat for wildlife.
Colin Bell, founder of Wilderness Safaris and Great Plains, said the numbers of elephants, rhinos and lions will continue to decline if tourism doesn’t reform.
“There is something about Africa in all of us and a longing to experience the wildness there, but a big chunk of money spent on tourism there doesn’t stay in Africa.”
He said about 50% of revenue stays in the country but that high quality, sustainable tourism involving the communities but would be good for locals’ sense of ownership of their heritage and the preservation of wildlife.
“We are at the tipping point; if we don’t bring communities into tourism we’ll have lost and our grandchildren won’t see these animals.”
Bell concluded that funding is needed for programmes to educate and invoke communities, adding “conservation without cash is conversation.”