- 2021
- Research / Study
- Global
While governments see protected areas as key to addressing biodiversity loss, protected areas are often overlooked in economic development plans and economic recovery strategies. One reason for this is that data gaps make it difficult to demonstrate protected area tourism’s far-reaching stimuli to national and local economies, especially in developing countries.
Banking on Protected Areas study therefore set out to quantify the impacts of protected area tourism on local economies to show that protected areas promote conservation and development.
The study explores economic impacts on local economies, as local economic development is a goal in-and-of itself, and community support is a critical concern for protected areas and is needed to secure their long-term integrity. It therefore estimates protected area tourism’s economic costs and benefits to local communities and explores how benefits may be increased and costs reduced.
Four country case studies were undertaken: two in terrestrial protected areas in Zambia and Nepal, and two in marine protected areas in Fiji and Brazil. While the number of countries is small, the case studies – from Latin America, Africa, Small Island States, and Asia – cover a mix of economies, environments, and cultures.
Governments were consulted to select study sites, and local students were trained to conduct surveys of tourists, lodges, businesses, and households. Information on production, income, expenditure, and the locations of transactions was gathered, and in each country, partnerships with local universities grounded the case studies in the socio-economic context. Study findings were shared with stakeholders, both in-country and globally, to enhance buy-in and quality.
