the role of tourism in natural resource management in the okavango ...

ate and economic progress seldom paralleled elsewhere (Main, 2001). Over the
years this precious commodity has significantly alleviated the effects of regional
problems experienced in other sectors, such as livestock and tourism. Botswana
promotes its output as 'diamonds for development', as an alternative to so-called
'conflict diamonds', and much of the country's revenue from diamonds has funded,
and continues to fund its development (Van Buren, 2004).
Botswana's government, to its credit, has tended to spend the windfall wisely,
developing a world-class road network, an excellent telephone system, education
programme and a reliable electricity grid within the country. This success, however,
has brought its own problems. According to a recent survey conducted by the
International Monetary Fund, there is an urgent need for Botswana to reduce its
dependency on diamonds. Only 70 percent of world diamond sales are controlled by
De Beers' Central Selling Organisation, and that figure may well decline. With a
decrease in centralised control of the market, there is an increased variation in price
and this, when diamonds account for nearly a third of Botswana gross domestic
product and some 70 percent of export earnings, has a direct impact on the
country's economy, making Botswana vulnerable to the fluctuation of diamond prices
(Main, 2001). After diamonds, the next major contributor to Botswana's prosperity is
interest earned on foreign holdings. Tourism, the cattle industry and mining (apart
from diamonds) account for most other earnings, with tourism making an ever more
significant contribution (Main, 2001).
According to the latest data available for the period up to 2002/03, Botswana's
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at current prices is estimated at 38,560 million Pula
(Republic of Botswana National Development Plan 9, 2003; Republic of Botswana
Statistical Bulletin, 2004). The current US Dollar and Rand exchange rates (as of
November 28 th 2005) are 5,6 Pula to 1 US Dollar, and 1 Pula to 1.2 Rand
(http://currencysource.com). The major contributors to GDP are: Mining and
Quarrying (29,3 percent); General Government (16 percent); Trade, Hotels and
Restaurants and Services (24,9 percent); Finance (10,8 percent) and Construction
(5,3 percent) (Republic of Botswana National Development Plan 9, 2003).
Even though the mining sector has dominated the economy since the second half of
the 1970s, there are indications that the economy is beginning to diversify. The
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