Wildlife Conservation in Zambia: Impacts on Rural Household Welfare

Tourism is one of the most rapidly growing economic sectors in the world, especially in developing countries; growth rates in international tourist arrivals and receipts in these countries are roughly double the world average. In Zambia, the tourism sector has grown steadily in recent years; international tourist arrivals from 1990 to 2005 grew at an average annual rate of 9.7%, and tourism receipts grew at 10.2%, compared to average growth rates for developing countries of 6.6% and 9.9%, respectively. Tourism in Zambia is largely based on the country’s stock of natural resources, particularly the system of national parks (NPs) and game management areas (GMAs). GMAs serve as buffer zones between the NPs and rural agricultural land. They were intended to promote sustainable hunting as an alternative to activities not compatible with wildlife protection. The Zambia Wildlife Authority partners with community organizations to share wildlife management responsibilities and revenue from hunting licenses.