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

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knowledge to br<strong>in</strong>g about susta<strong>in</strong>able <strong>tourism</strong> development <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> area. The<br />

<strong>in</strong>volvement <strong>of</strong> local communities <strong>in</strong> <strong>tourism</strong> <strong>management</strong> is, <strong>the</strong>refore, assumed to<br />

be an important aspect <strong>of</strong> social equity and susta<strong>in</strong>able <strong>tourism</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Okavango<br />

Delta (Mbaiwa, 2002).<br />

9.12.6 The Establishment <strong>of</strong> a National Tourism Board<br />

A National Tourism Board should be established to facilitate effective <strong>tourism</strong><br />

development not only <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Okavango DeltJ, but <strong>in</strong> Botswana as a whole. The<br />

National Tourism Board should direct <strong>the</strong> delelopment <strong>of</strong> <strong>tourism</strong> as well as <strong>the</strong><br />

utilization <strong>of</strong> <strong>tourism</strong>-based <strong>resource</strong>s such as wildlife and fish <strong>resource</strong>s <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

Okavango Delta. In <strong>the</strong> establishment <strong>of</strong> a <strong>tourism</strong> board, <strong>the</strong>re is a need to place<br />

much emphasis on <strong>the</strong> composition, objectives and mandate <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Board. Members<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> board should <strong>in</strong>clude all stakeholders <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>tourism</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry. Particular<br />

attention should be given to local people <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Okavango Delta, tour operators, <strong>the</strong><br />

Department <strong>of</strong> Wildlife and National Parks, <strong>the</strong> Department <strong>of</strong> Tourism, <strong>the</strong> Land<br />

Boards and NGOs. The establishment <strong>of</strong> a National Tourism Board will help<br />

encourage <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>tegrated <strong>management</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Okavango Delta, its <strong>natural</strong> <strong>resource</strong>s<br />

and <strong>tourism</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry (Mbaiwa, 2002).<br />

9.12.7 Establishment <strong>of</strong> a National Parks Board<br />

It has been suggested that <strong>the</strong>re is also a need for <strong>the</strong> establishment <strong>of</strong> a National<br />

Parks Board to facilitate effective wildlife utilisation and <strong>management</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> country.<br />

The proposed National Parks Board should be made up <strong>of</strong> sub-boards (for each<br />

game park/reserve) to determ<strong>in</strong>e <strong>the</strong> utilisation and <strong>management</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>natural</strong><br />

<strong>resource</strong>s <strong>in</strong> a particular protected area. Membership <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> boards should comprise<br />

<strong>the</strong> necessary stakeholders <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> wildlife and <strong>tourism</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry such as <strong>the</strong><br />

Department <strong>of</strong> Wildlife and National Parks, <strong>the</strong> Department <strong>of</strong> Tourism, <strong>the</strong> local<br />

communities and <strong>the</strong> private sector. The concept <strong>of</strong> a National Parks Board<br />

presupposes that all protected areas need <strong>management</strong> plans that recognise <strong>the</strong><br />

importance <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>tegrat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>tourism</strong>, wildlife conservation and community development.<br />

Management plans <strong>in</strong> protected areas <strong>in</strong> Botswana should, <strong>the</strong>refore, be designed to<br />

ensure <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>volvement <strong>of</strong> all stakeholders <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong> <strong>natural</strong> <strong>resource</strong> utilisation<br />

and <strong>management</strong> (Mbaiwa, 1999).<br />

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