The European Commission is conducting a series of policy analyses to support nature-based tourism, conservation and local livelihoods in sub-saharan Africa. Two consultation surveys have been launched on (a) financing nature-based tourism and (b) benefit sharing from nature-based tourism. You are warmly welcomed to share your thoughts on both, through two online surveys on these topics by 17 July 2022.
-
Development financing options for nature-based tourism and local livelihoods in sub-saharan Africa
An analysis of blended and guarantee financing options was undertaken for the European Commission in 2021 which identified a number of funding vehicles that support nature-based tourism (NBT) investment in sub-saharan Africa. These included: The EU’s European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus (ESFD+), providing grants and technical assistance, financial instruments, blending and budgetary guarantees and other guarantee projects and blending projects (e.g. Boost Africa, EURIZ, REGMIFA, and the Uganda Development Bank / EU Tourism COVID-19 Response Facility); Grants from Development Finance Institutions; and Funds supporting NBT (e.g. the Africa Conservation and Communities Tourism (ACCT) Fund; Conservation International Ventures; the African Conservancies Fund; the Mara Rescue Fund; the Africa Land Stewards Rescue Fund (ALSRF) and platforms linking enterprises with funders (e.g. the Nature-Based Tourism Collaborative Platform).
Building on this analysis, the EU is now gathering more detailed information on the broad array of financing options to support NBT and linked local livelihoods available in sub-saharan Africa.
Based on information collected, guidance will be developed on how to use technical assistance facilities to support sustainable NBT development financing, including a decision tree to help direct users to identify applicable financing options depending on their financing needs.
Please contribute to the consultation on NBT financing using one of these survey links:
Questionnaire for finance institutions, support agencies, donors and NGOs: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Finance_NBT
Questionnaire for tourism operators working in protected areas: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Finance_NBT_Operator
2. Benefit sharing from nature-based tourism in Africa
The European Commission is conducting research on benefits that local communities attain from tourism from protected areas and nature-based tourism operators in Africa. The results of this study will be used to form policy recommendations for protected areas and EU projects that make benefit sharing mechanisms more effective.
To contribute to this process, kindly share your experience and opinions on:
- benefit sharing mechanisms that protected areas and tourism operators use;
- how to create fairer relations between communities and the private sector; and
- how to reduce risks and problems associated with benefit sharing from tourism.
Please contribute to the consultation using this survey link, with one response for each protected area that you work with:
Questionnaire for protected areas, protected area authorities, support intuitions and NGOs: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NBTourism_Benefit_PAs
Questionnaire for tourism operators working in protected areas: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NBTourism_Benefit_Operators
For more information, please contact: Dr Anna Spenceley, annaspenceley@gmail.com
annaspenceley 