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

However, as Western (1993) points out, the label 'ecotourist' is being adopted by
virtually any operation remotely connected with nature or cultural travel, a fact which
is highlighted by Filion et aI's (1994) definition of ecotourism as being all tourism that
takes place in the natural environment. This emphasises some of the problems with
the use of such a term. Through the use of the title 'ecotourism', groups and agents
take advantage of the connotations associated with the word to give their activities
legitimacy (deserved or undeserved). Tourism marketing agencies and tour
operators have a vested interest in implying to people that their activities are
environmentally conscious and benign.
The true impact, however, of both conventional and alternative forms of tourism
development on a host destination can only be realised through a thorough review of
its present and potential economic, social and environmental costs and benefits
(Ward, 1997).
2.8 The Costs and Benefits of Tourism to Host Destinations
Despite the various altruistic and well-meaning reasons often put forward to support
the case for tourism development (such as its social and environmental benefits), it
is the economic advantages that provide the main driving force behind tourism
growth (Cooper et aI, 1993). In assessing the economic impacts of tourism, the level
of economic development of the destination area, the nature and degree of foreign
ownership of tourist facilities, the employment of indigenous labour, the provision of
infrastructure by the government, and the type of tourist, are the key elements that
should be considered (Ryan, 1991).
2.8.1 Economic Benefits of Tourism
The economic benefits of travel and tourism to a host destination can be either direct
or of a secondary nature (Schneider, 1993). The first economic benefit worth noting
is the capacity for international forms of tourism to earn foreign currency and to
positively influence a country's balance of payments account (which is the net
difference between the value of exports and the cost of imports). With the world
tourism 'trade' presently valued at around US $320 billion annually, the potential for
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