The Safari Camps and Lodges in Africa we represent...

We only represent camps and lodges that contribute to community upliftment and apply good principles of sustainable eco-tourism. Rural populations, across socio-economic lines, must be incorporated into the flow of benefits (both financial and otherwise) accruing from the tourism and wildlife industry. Generally speaking, when there are benefits derived from the wildlife tourism industry, there are a lot of "leakages". This is a polite way of saying that there are only a handful of individuals who benefit, and it's usually the most influential members of a community. Meanwhile, the most rural populations and those who feel the impact of wildlife tourism most acutely are left with very little, or nothing at all. The result of course, is that wildlife plundering continues, while the a few influential benefit.

Therefore, households need to become fully entrenched in the tourism supply chain and resultant income streams such that financial benefits are shared and flow directly and consistently to rural households. It's only then that rural populations can rely on wildlife and tourism income as a livelihood strategy. At that point, it becomes an asset. And when something is an asset, then it is worthwhile to protect and conserve its survival. The challenge then is to create a model whereby the communities that border National Parks, Game Reserves and Conservancies see wildlife and tourism as assets.