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Eco-tourism: A Potential adaptation strategy to Climate Change in the Greater Limpopo Basin - Eastern

Botswana.

N. N. MosweteUniversity of Botswana

AF_42

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Eco-tourism

• Many areas of the tourism industry rely on the climate and natural / semi-natural environment.

• Eco-tourism is one of the many types of tourism and is nature based. Hence, all natural tourism resources are likely to be affected by climate change. e.g. fauna

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Likely impacts of climate on tourism

• Additional pressures on the wildlife and plants – that the tourists want to see and the places where they live.

• Hunting of game and waterfowl is likely to feel the impacts of climate change as wildlife may be displaced due to habitat loss or increased competition on food and forage.

• Recreational fishing may be locally disrupted by lower water levels in rivers and lakes.

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Cultural Tourism • Cultural tourism is now recognized as

one of the fastest growing sectors of the international tourism market

• Tourists are increasingly less interested in showpiece resorts and destinations and are more interested in environmental, cultural, ethnic, heritage and historical features

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Cultural Tourism

• Can strengthen ethnic or local survival of rural people by providing new sources of employment and reviving traditional skills.

• Can revitalise and invigorate local cultures i.e. adapting traditional ways to economic, employment and spectacular requirement of tourism while maintaining cultural integrity

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Main elements of culture that attract tourists

• Handicrafts • Traditions• History of a region• Architecture• Local food• Art and music• Ways of life• Religion• Language• Costumes – traditional

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Main Types of heritage environments

Landscape

Arts based

Natural history and science

Sociocultural

• Villagescapes, religious buildings, parks and reserves

• Galleries, concert halls and their performances, art festivals

• Geomorphological or geological sites (caves, gorges, cliffs, scientific museums)

• Historic sites, museums of rural or industrial life

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Aims and Objectives

To document available natural and cultural tourism resources in the Limpopo Basin and assess the extent to which they have been exploited for tourism

To identify tourism trends and determine factors influencing travel and tourism in the Limpopo Basin

To study and assess the nature of cultural heritage tourism and its viability as an adaptation strategy in the Limpopo Basin

Develop awareness of the value of cultural tourism/ecotourism to local communities of the Limpopo Basin

To recommend cultural heritage tourism activities that could be exploited and implemented to minimize adverse impacts of climate change

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Resource Assessment

• An inventory and description of the existing cultural and natural environment will be carried out. This will include but will not be limited to the following: existing natural and human attractions, cultural/heritage sites, recreational facilities, public and social services, fauna and flora, (including any rare, endangered, or threatened species), tourist accommodation and any tourism development programme and plans in place.

• A SWOT analysis i.e. identification and evaluation of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the physical and human tourism resources of the region, including Parks, Reserves, Ethnological, Geological and other cultural heritage sites); infrastructure; transport; accommodation; community attitudes and participation in tourism related activity of the area.

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Resource Assessment

Market Analysis of the Limpopo Past, current and future target markets

(International and domestic tourists including market segments such as nature tourists/ecotourists, cultural and heritage tourists, rural tourists etc.

An assessment of the likely positive-negative, qualitative-quantitative, direct indirect, and short-term, long term impacts of climate change on the tourism industry in the Limpopo Basin.

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Methodology

• Desktop literature search

• Field verification survey

• Oral data collection

• Mapping available tourism resources via GIS.

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0

200000

400000

600000

800000

1000000

1200000

1400000

1600000

1800000

2000000

2200000

Years

Tota

l arr

ival

s/vi

sito

rsTotal Visitor Arrivals to Botswana (1983 - 2001)

Source: CSO: Visitor Statistics (Various Documents)

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Source:CSO, 2001

6,6517021061503605521714,686France

8,069113116103-6896093655,258Australi

9,24190267172-8677443865,965Netherlands

10,41545077090402,0025302,767830Malawi

16,634191594147602,6731,1386569,249German

17,581442772310201702011,5151,574India

29,5203028815023001,4809671,53520,509USA

61,0804624,966505139,1871,6999,1663,674Namibia

63,5451,0321,7446771323,5736,1255,71921,331UK

84,7191,96213,48170314024,9094,88416,7125,971Zambia

519,41337,94052,8303,86555055,45515,380236,42550,881Zimbabwe

803,39216,078124,6264,0731,534113,16693,500195,414144,535RSA

TotalNot Known

OtherEmployment

DiplomatIn TransitBusinessVisitorHoliday/Tourist

Country of nationality

Arrivals by Purpose of Visit and Country of Residence-2001

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Country of origin

1999 2000 2001 Total %

Botswana 2014 1948 2184 6146 93

South Africa 52 14 42 108 1.6

Zimbabwe 12 8 18 38 0.6

Europe 69 59 23 151 2.3

America 23 31 16 70 1.1

Others 12 27 49 88 1.3Source: Site Visit Record Book

Visitor Number to Phuthadikolo Museum (1999 – 2001)

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Country of origin

1999 2000 2001 Total %

Botswana 904 1826 2099 4829 94

South Africa

10 24 38 72 1.4

Europe 3 7 10 20 0.4

Zimbabwe 2 4 14 20 0.4

America 21 79 16 116 2.3

Others 14 10 34 58 1.1

Visitor Numbers to Matsieng Site (1999-2001)

Source: Site Visit – Record Book

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Examples of Cultural Heritage Sites in the Greater Limpopo Basin

Site Location Description

Solomon's Wall East of the Tuli Block area Remains of an ancient natural dyke across Motloutse River and Anglo -Boer war sites of 1899 to 1902.

Tswapong Hills Situated in the greater Tswapong villages in eastern Botswana

The Hills endowed with rich Batswapong and Bangwato history and is of great interest to Archaeologists and scientists. Pottery fragments and kilns have been found in the area.

Fort Motloutse

Located about 10 kilometres east of Bobonong Village

This historic site is part of the fortifications built for the 1890 pioneer column that settled in former Rhodesia (Zimbabwe)

Mmajojo Ruins 2 kilometres south of Serule Junction

A great Zimbabwe type settlement with decorated stones and residence of a District chief