Critiques on the appropriateness of tourism developments in protected areas and explore of protection based on ecological micro-landscapes method

Abstract

Tourism is one of the largest and fastest developing industries in the world. As most protected areas have the purpose of both nature conservation and providing recreational opportunities, national parks and a variety of protected areas have become popular destinations for tourists worldwide. This paper critiques the appropriateness of current tourism developments of iconic National Parks in Australia and South Africa. The methods applied to this study include (a) analyzing case studies on different national parks to understand the management situation, (b) criticize existing tourism developments in Australia and South Africa with evidence, using conceptual model for situation analysis and suggestions for more rational management plans, and (c) comparing and contrasting Australia with South Africa. The theoretical method of ecological micro-landscapes is also presented to the study of protection and management of national parks and protected areas. The study could become a useful guide for the improvements on present protected area governance practices.