Ecotourism in South Africa

Tourism is the fourth largest generator of foreign exchange in South Africa,[1] and ecotourism is the idea of encouraging visitors while promoting and supporting a country's biodiversity.

Some private sector tourism companies seek international certification by organizations like Green Globe 21 or Iso 14001-based programs, but not many do this.

[3] Ecotourism can be used to ensure those local to the area are involved in the experience, and are benefitting from the economic growth that comes with revenue generated.

[4] On the other side, ecotourism developments are frequently financed by foreign investors who are likely seeking untapped markets.

[5] South Africa's unique geography allows the country to support such a diverse population of plants and animals.

It is important to protect biodiversity in South Africa because people still rely on natural resources for food and medicine.

The nature of these impacts varies according to the type of ecotourism activities and how the tourism operators meet the tourists' expectations.