Consumptive tourism and environmental justice in sub-Saharan Africa: A review

Keywords: consumptive tourism, environmental justice, sustainability, sub-Saharan Africa
Session Type: Virtual Paper
Day: Wednesday
Session Start / End Time: 4/7/2021 08:00 AM (Pacific Time (US & Canada)) - 4/7/2021 09:15 AM (Pacific Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 20

Abstract

The paper examines tourism development in the context of environmental justice in sub-Saharan Africa particularly with respect to consumptive tourism. Wildlife tourism is a major contributor to GDP in most sub-Saharan countries that have comparative advantage in the resource. Through the Community Based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM) program, consumptive tourism has contributed to tourism development and lifted tourism dependent communities out of abject poverty. However, consumptive tourism continues to attract highly emotive debates across the globe with some schools of thought labelling it as unethical while some contend that it is a ‘necessary evil’. This paper endeavours to answer the question, what are the perceptions and attitudes surrounding wildlife utilisation for consumptive tourism in sub Saharan Africa? The concept of environmental justice forms the conceptual underpinnings of the examination. The paper concludes that sustainability and justice have interlinkages that cannot be ignored.