Economic characteristics of the demand for wildlife‐viewing tourism in Botswana

In this study contingent valuation and analysis of records were used to investigate demand for wildlife‐viewing visits and entry to protected areas in Botswana. Wildlife‐viewing tourists experienced consumer surpluses amounting to some 20 per cent of their trip expenditures or 41 million Botswana pula in aggregate. They were willing to pay some 4 per cent of their trip expenditures (8 million pula in aggregate) to a Botswana wildlife conservation fund. Price elasticity of demand for wildlife‐viewing trips was close to unity for all visitors, but appears to have been inelastic for campsite users and elastic for lodge users. Demand for entry to and use of parks was strongly price inelastic over the range of a large fee increase in 1989. However, the fee increase was excessive for visitors from southern Africa. The findings provide some guidelines for policy. Botswana could possibly capture more tourism income by soliciting donations to a conservation fund and further differentiating fees.

Notes

Natural Resources Economist, World Wildlife Fund LIFE Programme, Directorate of Environmental Affairs, Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Windhoek, Namibia. This study was undertaken while the author was employed in the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, Botswana. Financial support was provided by the United States Agency for International Development. The author would like to thank MH Sebina, CM Motshubi, TB Molefhe, the late IT Mphela, ON Mpitse, J Mtyutu and CS Hamilton for assistance with the survey, data collection and analysis; R Hartley for advice and support; and SC Modise, MN Nchunga and ND Hunter for permission and support.