Living on the edge: benefit-sharing from protected area tourism

Abstract

Tourism in protected areas not only plays an essential role in terms of contributing to the financial sustainability of protected areas but through effective and efficient benefit-sharing can positively impact numerous stakeholders within and beyond the protected area. This paper provides a brief analysis of the evolution of benefit-sharing from protected area tourism, discussing tangible and intangible benefits and highlighting that revenue-sharing is only one way of sharing benefits from tourism and protected areas. The paper highlights the complexity of benefit-sharing, the importance of identifying all relevant stakeholders, the challenges of ensuring equity and sustainability and the critical importance of good governance. The evolution of benefit-sharing mechanisms over time emphasises a continuing need to evolve and adapt to each unique situation, as much evidence indicates that little has changed for those living on the edge. Although this paper focuses on benefit-sharing from protected area tourism, it is essential to acknowledge that along with these benefits are costs associated with tourism, including possible increased local prices, loss of access to land, human-wildlife conflict, and other related costs. Recommendations for future research are included to encourage an ongoing evolution and improvement in benefit-sharing mechanisms.