A presentation made by Dr Anna Spenceley at the Sustainable Tourism and Digitisation Conference in Mauritius, 23-24 May 2018

1. Tourism in Africa and the Sustainable
Development Goals
Dr Anna Spenceley
Interna/onal consultant
Chair, IUCN WCPA Tourism and Protected Areas Specialist Group
Board member, Global Sustainable Tourism Council
Interna/onal Conference on Digitalisa/on and Sustainable Tourism
23-24 May 2018
Le Meridien, Pointe au Piments, Mauri/us

2. Tourism and the SDGs

3. Tourism and the SDGs
SDGs with tourism targets
Note: Tourism can contribute to all 17 SDGs
UNWTO (2017) Tourism and the Sustainable
Development Goals – Journey to 2030, Highlights

4. hUp://www.maps-of-the-world.net/maps/maps-
of-africa/large-physical-map-of-africa.jpg

5. Propor/on of Africans who are poor fell from 56% in 1990 to
43% in 2012 – with 330 million poor people (World Bank,
2016)
Tourism can contribute to poverty (BenneU et al, 1999):
• market comes to producers
• labour intensive (esp. women and youth)
• inter-sectoral linkages
• occurs in marginal areas (e.g. protected areas)
• fewer barriers to entry than other sectors
Pafuri camp, South Africa
• Joint venture between
community & Return Africa
• 52 permanent staff (94% from
local Makuleke community)
• Salaries of USD98,000 wages +
benefits annually
• Impact on poverty reduc/on
Snyman & Spenceley, forthcoming
www.returnafrica.com

6. Tourism can catalyze sustainable agriculture (UNWTO &
UNDP, 2017):
• Produc/on and supplies to hotels and restaurants
• Sales of local products to tourists
• Agro-tourism – addi/onal $ for farmers
• &Beyond + government + NGOs + academia + media
• Establishing marine conserva/on areas
• Tackling overfishing & killing endangered species
• Reef and endangered species protec/on, community
empowerment and monitoring
• Capacity building including: conserva/on lessons;
management of local fish stocks, community fishing
prac/ces
Braack & Mearns, 2017

7. ‘Healthy Parks Healthy People’
Visi/ng high biodiversity areas can give health benefits
addressing obesity, cardiovascular disease, depression
and anxiety (Sparkes & Woods, 2009)
• Tour de Tuli
• Wildrun
• Desert Knights
• KAZA Golf
Classic
Spenceley, 2018
Cross-border adventure products in transfron<er conserva<on areas (TFCAs)
www.childreninthewilderness.com/tour-de-tuli/tour-informa/on/overview.html, TFCA Tourism Community of Prac=ce

8. A skillful workforce is crucial in order to provide quality
hospitality and experiences to tourists
Tourism gives professional development & training
opportuni/es for direct and indirect jobs for youth,
women, and those with special needs (UNWTO & UNDP,
2017)
!Xaus Lodge, South Africa
• Community-owned, managed
by private sector –
Transfron/er Parks
Des/na/ons
• 28 permanent staff (93% local)
• Staff salaries of USD 883,900
between 2008-2017
• Melissa Mienies: from cleaner
to first female guide in
Kgalagadi from community
Snyman & Spenceley, forthcoming hUps://www.xauslodge.co.za/gallery

9. Tourism can empower women through jobs and income-
genera/on from SMMEs (UNWTO & UNDP, 2017)
About 47% of hotel and restaurant employees are
women (United Na/ons, 2017) but women are paid
10-15% less than male equivalents (UNWTO and UN
Women 2010)
Mantovani Guest House, South Africa
• Female owned - Sonja SchuUe
• 19 ensuite rooms - renovated & expanded
• 4-stars, AA ‘Highly recommended’
• “It seemed natural to appoint women”
Rylance & Spenceley, 2013a
Motlejoa B&B, Lesotho
• Female owned – Manatela
• 8 rooms
• Added a catering company
• Worker coopera/on policy
Rylance & Spenceley, 2013b

10. Tourism investment in u/li/es - a cri/cal role in water
access and security, hygiene and sanita/on. Efficient use
of water in tourism, pollu/on control and technology
efficiency can be key to safeguarding water (UNWTO &
UNDP, 2017)
Covane Lodge, Mozambique
• Community lodge – private operator
• Donor-funded re-investment pipeline &
pump from Massingir dam to Canhane
• Community maintenance fund
Snyman & Spenceley, forthcoming
Ngala Lodge, South Africa & Africa
Founda<on
• Distribu/on of 1,200 Hippo Water
Rollers in Welverdiend and Thlabekisa
• Funded by dona/ons
andBeyond, undated
www.andbeyond.com/conserva/on-and-community/care-of-the-people/hippo-water-rollers/ hUp://www.covanecommunitylodge.com/community-uplisment.html

11. Tourism can accelerate the shis to renewable energy, &
promote investment in clean energy sources (UNWTO &
UNDP, 2017)
Easiest to integrate into design – but some facili/es
retrofit to be more energy efficient
Mombo Camp, Botswana
• Switch from diesel to 100% solar
• Capital investment of USD 860 k
• 93% reduc/on in carbon emissions
(from 287 to 22 tonnes p/a)
Snyman & Spenceley, forthcoming
Bale Mountain Lodge, Ethiopia
• 25 Kw Micro-hydro power plant
• Biogas system from biodegradable
waste
hUps://www.wilderness-safaris.com/camps/mombo-camp
hUp://www.wildlifeworldwide.com/images/galleries/
africa_ethiopia_bale_mountain_lodge_view_credit_dale_morris_gallery.jpg

12. In 2006, Africa travel and tourism directly supported
Ø + 8 million jobs (2.6% of total employment)
Ø + 20 million jobs (6.5% of total employment)
(including indirect jobs) (WTTC, 2017)
Money from tourism can redistribute wealth from the
rich to the poor e.g. spending on transport,
accommoda/on, excursions, shopping, and food /drink
Simien Lodge, Ethiopia
• 38 staff (96% local)
• Fair salaries and service charges – 4 x value of other jobs in local town
• 50:50 split men and women
hUp://www.simiens.com
Snyman & Spenceley, forthcoming

13. Tourism development relies on good public and private
infrastructure. Tourism can influence public policy for
improvements that aUract tourists, foreign investment
(UNWTO & UNDP, 2017) and supports communi/es
Makasutu Cultural Forest, The
Gambia
• Accommoda/on on plavorms
floa/ng on /dal water (1-2 m)
• Takes advantage of natural
winds for ven/la/on
• Local fishermen access fishing
zones along the river

14. Tourism can be a powerful tool for reducing inequali/es
- engaging local popula/ons and key stakeholders &
giving people opportuni/es to prosper (UNWTO &
UNDP, 2017)
Community-based small business:
Witsieshoek, South Africa
Spenceley, Rylance, Nanabahay and van der WaU, 2016
Joint ventures between community and
private sector operator: Damaraland, Namibia

15. Tourism can help to advance urban infrastructure and
accessibility, promote regenera/on and preserve
cultural and natural heritage, assets on which tourism
depends
Investment in green infrastructure creates greener ci/es
for residents and tourists (UNWTO & UNDP, 2017)
Kigali, Rwanda
• Model of future
Kigali city –
ambi/ous
masterplan to
become the
‘Singapore of Africa’
• Gateway for gorilla
& cultural tourism
hUps://www.un.org/africarenewal/magazine/april-2016/africa’s-ci/es-future

16. The tourism sector can adopt sustainable consump/on
and produc/on (SCP) modes, and accelerate the shis
towards sustainability (UNWTO & UNDP, 2017)
Certification in Africa
• 18 certification programs operating
• 715 hotels certified in 19 countries
(<3.4% hotels)
Spenceley, 2016

17. Tourism contributes to and is affected by climate
change. By reducing its carbon footprint in the transport
and accommoda/on sector, tourism can benefit from
low carbon growth (UNWTO & UNDP, 2017)
Mauritius
• Design of environmental good practice guidelines
for the Mauritius Hotel Industry
• AHRIM / ComSec
• Handbook, implementation plan
• “Guidelines for energy efficiency” – appliance
selection tools (e.g. aircon, oven, laundry, lighting
solar PV, water heating)
• Sample energy management plans: air
conditioning, hot water, lighting, kitchens and
laundry
Spenceley, Bashain and Saini, 2011; AHRIM, 2011

18. Coastal and mari/me tourism rely on healthy marine
ecosystems.
Tourism development must help conserve and preserve
fragile marine ecosystems - promote a blue economy -
contribute to sustainable use of marine resources
(UNWTO & UNDP, 2017)
hUp://www.blueflag.global
Country Beaches Marinas Boats
Morocco 24 2
South Africa 45 7 10
© Jus/n Hoffman
Blue Flag in Africa

19. Rich biodiversity and natural heritage are osen the main
reasons why tourists visit a des/na/on.
Tourism can play a major role in conserving and
preserving biodiversity and genera/ng revenue as an
alterna/ve livelihood to local communi/es (UNWTO &
UNDP, 2017)
Nikwichi Lodge, Mozambique
• Created 120,000 ha conserva/on
areas with 16 communi/es
• Regulate land use & stop hun/ng
Bisate Lodge, Rwanda
• Extensive reforesta/on program
around Volcanoes Nat. Park
• 15,000 indigenous trees planted
• 20 community members casual staff
Snyman & Spenceley, forthcoming

20. Tourism revolves around billions of encounters between
people of diverse cultural backgrounds
Tourism, which benefits and engages local communi/es,
can also consolidate peace in post-conflict socie/es
(UNWTO & UNDP, 2017)
Spenceley, 2014; 2018; Jones, 2018 www.peaceparks.org/

21. Tourism has the ability to strengthen private/public
partnerships and engage mul/ple stakeholders –
interna/onal, na/onal, regional and local – to work
together to achieve the SDGs and other common goals
(UNWTO & UNDP, 2017)
Spenceley, Snyman and Eagles, 2017 hUps://www.cbd.int/tourism/doc/tourism-partnerships-protected-areas-web.pdf

22. hUp://www.maps-of-the-world.net/maps/maps-
of-africa/large-physical-map-of-africa.jpg
• Implica/ons for repor/ng
• Mixed qualita/ve and quan/ta/ve data
• Embedded within case studies
• How to help na/ons monitor & report on
the SDGs using digi/sa/on?

23. Thank you!
Dr Anna Spenceley
- Consultant,
- Chair, IUCN WCPA TAPAS Group
- Board member, GSTC
Email: annaspenceley@gmail.com
Blog: annaspenceley.wordpress.com
Website: www.anna.spenceley.co.uk
Key Source:
Anna Spenceley and Andrew Rylance (in prep) The
contribu=on of the tourism to achieving the
Sustainable Development Goals, in McCool, S. and
Bosak, K. (eds) A research agenda for sustainable
tourism, Edward Elgar
Key Source: Snyman & Spenceley, forthcoming