| Many would argue the ill effects tourism can have | | | | warped history. The establishment of 'peace |
| on natural habitats and the animals themselves | | | | parks' like the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier |
| but the major argument for positive tourism is | | | | conservation area aim to correct this past |
| sustainable tourism - sharing the benefits of | | | | century but significant injustice by building on |
| wildlife and socioeconomic development through | | | | neighbouring relationships and encouraging |
| the promotion of tourism. The objective of those | | | | improvements to natural habitats, wildlife and |
| working in the African travel industry should be to | | | | people through the joint management of these |
| bring about sustainable economic development by | | | | resources. The Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier |
| way of eco-tourism, which is said to be the | | | | will become the worlds largest conservation area |
| fastest growing industry in the world! Poverty and | | | | straddling Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and |
| ineffective land use can be addressed with the | | | | Zimbabwe upon the completion of the project in |
| help of tourism opportunities like African safaris, | | | | 2010. |
| adventure holidays and fair trade travel. | | | | Eco-tourism and the development of 'peace parks' |
| Contrary to popular belief poverty in rural Africa | | | | are an up and coming standard that African |
| is caused by lack of education, massive | | | | Governments (including Zambias) are using to |
| unemployment problems (due to large masses of | | | | create a sense of harmony between humankind |
| land and the remoteness of many areas) and the | | | | (both foreign and local) and nature by using the |
| limited options for the profitable use of such land. | | | | lands natural resources to create prosperity. The |
| Sustainable projects and private commercial | | | | beneficiaries are: |
| ventures that provide adventure holidays have | | | | - visitors who leave more knowledgeable and with |
| economic potential through eco-tourism because | | | | a positive and authentic African experience, |
| they make use of the natural resources an area | | | | - local people who benefit from job creation and |
| has in a way that benefits the local population | | | | the development of schools and clinics, |
| without depleting those same natural resources. | | | | - and also business owners who work sustainably |
| Without such forward thinking approaches local | | | | and profitably. |
| people in and around remote areas have few | | | | All these factors lead to economic stability and |
| alternatives but to exhaust the very resources | | | | since stability is seen to be the cornerstone of |
| (animals, land and natural beauty) on which their | | | | peace, when all benefit and development is |
| survival depends. Eco-tourism can be seen to | | | | sustainable, peace prevails, hence the name 'peace |
| protect the world's natural assets by emphasising | | | | parks'. |
| their value to visitors and locals alike. | | | | Note: If you wish to publish this article on your |
| Historically, it was the Berlin Treaty of 1884 that | | | | website, blog, etc. you can as long as the article |
| literally carved Africa up with no concept of tribal | | | | remains in its full entirety; including the links and |
| groupings, wildlife migration routes or ecosystems. | | | | the author resource box. |
| Current national boundaries reflect this somewhat | | | | |