Nature-based tourism is emerging as a significant driver for economic development and biodiversity conservation, according to recent findings. In areas rich in natural assets but with limited economic opportunities, nature-based tourism can create jobs and diversify rural economies. The spending by tourists on activities, transportation, food, and accommodation benefits local communities by generating jobs and income. This ripple effect extends to both poor and non-poor households.
The World Bank is investing in projects aimed at protecting natural assets while promoting nature-based tourism businesses. The organization also focuses on sharing the benefits of tourism with local communities. Additionally, the World Bank is developing tools and knowledge to measure the local economic impacts of nature-based tourism to inform policies for sustainable development.
However, there is a notable lack of data and methodologies to measure the local impacts of tourism accurately. Most studies focus only on direct activities like hotels and restaurants, neglecting indirect economic spillovers. Local economy-wide impact evaluation (LEWIE) models are now being used to quantify both direct and indirect impacts of tourist spending around protected areas. These models gather data from surveys of local households and businesses to provide a comprehensive view of how tourism affects local economies.
In "Banking on Protected Areas," the World Bank presented a LEWIE approach for protected area tourism with data from Brazil, Fiji, Nepal, and Zambia. The results highlight that protected area tourism can significantly benefit local communities:
- In Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park, 30 percent of the working-age population found employment through tourism.
- In Zambia’s Lower Zambezi National Park, this figure was 14 percent.
- In Fiji’s Nadroga-Navosa province and Mamanuca Islands, 13 percent were employed due to tourism.
- Around Brazil’s Whale Coast (Abrolhos Marine National Park), 12 percent gained jobs from tourist activities.
- In Nepal's Chitwan National Park area, 3 percent were employed in tourism-related roles.
A new LEWIE-lite methodology has been piloted in Madagascar and Uganda to make assessments more accessible. These efforts aim to advocate for greater investments in natural areas and improve decision-making in tourism policy.
Funding for these studies came from PROBLUE, PROFOR, PROGREEN, the Global Wildlife Program, and WAVES.
In Brazil's Abrolhos Marine National Park study revealed that every Real spent by visitors increased household incomes around the park by 1.74 Reals. Despite being one of the most megadiverse countries globally, many parks in Brazil remain underfunded.
In Fiji's Mamanuca Islands study showed that tourism created 8,304 jobs through direct and indirect channels.
Nepal's Chitwan National Park sees significant contributions from tourists with each dollar spent increasing local incomes by US$1.78.
Zambia's assessment indicated that government revenues from park fees exceeded investments in two parks by US$1.1 million annually.