$29-billion safari industry under threat due to Covid-19

$29-billion safari industry under threat due to Covid-19

News24
06 Aug 2020, 23:43 GMT+10

$29-billion safari industry under threat due to Covid-19

Africa's wildlife tourism industry, which usually generates $29 billion a year and employs 3.6 million people, is under threat as the coronavirus has brought leisure travel to a near halt, a report published in Nature Ecology & Evolution said.

Many wildlife-protection services will struggle without money from safaris and hunting, according to research by scientists from various universities ranging from South Africa to the U.S. Hardest hit will be countries that boast the so-called Big Five -- elephants, lions, buffaloes, leopards and rhinoceroses -- such as Kenya, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Others like Uganda, where gorillas are a drawcard, will also suffer, the study shows.

"Tourism helps governments justify protecting wildlife habitat," the scientists said. "It creates revenue for state wildlife authorities, generates foreign-exchange earnings, diversifies and strengthens local economies."

About 50%, or $30 million, of the Kenya Wildlife Service's annual budget comes from tourism, while that figure is 80% in Zimbabwe and the same percentage, or $52 million, in South Africa. Half of the budget of the Uganda Wildlife Authority is from tourism to view the mountain gorillas.

"The crisis demands a concerted international effort to protect and support Africa's wildlife and wildlands and people that are dependent on them," the report said.

Watch latest videos

News RELEASES

Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to International Travel News.

More Information

null in null

Business

Section

U.S. stocks restricted by tensions in Middle East

U.S. stocks close mixed Friday amid Mideast uncertainty

NEW YORK, New YorK - U.S. stocks closed mixed on Friday, with gains and losses modest, as investors and traders weighed up the escalation...

US consumers cut back after early surge ahead of Trump tariffs

US retail sales drop in May amid post-tariff spending slowdown

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Retail sales dropped sharply in May as consumer spending slowed after a strong start to the year, primarily due to...

Mitsubishi joins automakers raising prices after import tariffs

Mitsubishi to hike U.S. car prices 2.1% amid Trump tariffs

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Mitsubishi Motors is the latest automaker to raise prices in the United States, joining a growing list of car companies...

Lilly makes $1.3 billion move to expand into gene-edited heart drugs

Lilly to buy Verve for $1.3 billion in heart gene therapy expansion

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana: Eli Lilly is making a bold play in cardiovascular gene therapy, announcing plans to acquire its partner Verve...

New Zealand PM seeks stronger ties with China amid security talks

New Zealand PM Luxon in China to boost trade and tourism

BEIJING/WELLINGTON: New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon commenced his visit to China on June 17, seeking to strengthen trade...

U.S. on edge as Israel-Iran conflict escalates

Dow Jones drops 44 points as Wall Street takes a breather

NEW YORK, New York - U.S. stocks made only minor moves in both directions,Thursday, as investors fretted about the Israel-Iran conflict...

Travel and Tourism

Section

Volcanic ash grounds flights to Indonesia, disrupts travel to Bali

Indonesia's Mount Lewotobi erupts, forcing village evacuations

LEMBATA, Indonesia: Indonesia's Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki erupted dramatically on June 18, generating substantial ash and smoke plumes....

New Zealand PM seeks stronger ties with China amid security talks

New Zealand PM Luxon in China to boost trade and tourism

BEIJING/WELLINGTON: New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon commenced his visit to China on June 17, seeking to strengthen trade...

Aircraft orders expected as Paris airshow opens, despite recent crises

Paris airshow opens amid global aviation uncertainty

PARIS, France: The Paris Airshow kicked off on June 16, attracting attention with expected aircraft orders, but overshadowed by the...

'Tourists go home': Anti-over-tourism protests erupt in Barcelona

Tourism backlash: Locals protest in cities across southern Europe

BARCELONA/MADRID, Spain: With another record-breaking tourist season underway, thousands of residents across southern Europe marched...

State Dept memo outlines plan to widen Trump travel ban

Trump may expand U.S. travel ban to 36 more countries: memo

WASHINGTON, D.C.: The Trump administration is weighing a major expansion of its travel restrictions, with a new internal memo revealing...

Flight recorder may reveal cause of deadly crash of Air India Boeing

Air India crash: Black box recovered from site of mishap

NEW DELHI, India: The flight data recorder from the crashed Air India plane was found on June 13. This vital discovery may help investigators...

Movie Review

Head [Blu-Ray]