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

economic benefits from the conservation of the Delta and its wildlife can be made to
accrue to local communities in the area, this will help ensure the Okavango's long­
term survival.
The main limiting factor of government policies in Botswana is that they are not
specific to a particular region, but are designed to be applicable nationally. As a
result, Botswana has so far not adopted any policy aimed at tourism development
and wildlife conservation specifically for the Okavango Delta (Mbaiwa, 2002).
8.3.1.2 The Strengthening of Wildlife Conservation and Tourism Development
Institutions
The management of wildlife resources and tourism development, up until 1985, was
the responsibility of the Department of Wildlife, National Parks and Tourism,
established in 1968/69. Tourism management was a small unit within this
department. However, the growth of tourism and the need to strengthen the
management of wildlife resources, which were/are the main tourism product, led to
the review of the Department. The review process of the Department of Wildlife,
National Parks and Tourism led to the establishment of the Department of Wildlife
and National Parks, with five main divisions. It also led to the establishment of the
Department of Tourism as a separate department to promote and cope with tourism
development issues in the country. The two departments were put under the Ministry
of Commerce and Industry (Mbaiwa, 2002).
More changes were been made to the Department of Wildlife and National Parks
and the Department of Tourism in the late 1990s. In 1999, the two departments went
through yet another restructuring process where there was a renaming of the
Ministry of Commerce and Industry, which became the Ministry of Trade, Wildlife
and Tourism. Three years after the renaming of this ministry, further changes were
made in wildlife and tourism management in Botswana. In June 2002 the
Departments of Wildlife and National Parks and Tourism were separated from the
Trade Ministry and joined with that of Environmental Affairs. Hence, the new ministry
became to be known as the Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism. This
strengthening and elevation of wildlife management institutions in Botswana
indicates the important role that natural resources and tourism development play in
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