It is no secret that tourism is a big business. But the burgeoning wildlife tourism industry may prove vital to the animals spotted by travelers.
According to the Future Markets Insight (FMI) blog the industry may nearly double in the next ten years .Wildlife tourism – or observing wild animals in their own habitat – is a critical part of the tourism industry in Australia, America, Africa, Canada, Indonesia, Maldives and Sri Lanka.
The blog says :
“By 2034, the size of the worldwide wildlife tourism market is expected to reach US$ 2,45,298.4 million. Based on projections, the market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5.20% until 2034. The industry for wildlife tourism is expected to be worth US$ 1,47,753.3 million in 2024.” (Links in original)
Of course the idea of animal tourism has positives and negatives.
“During the visit to wildlife destinations, tourists contribute to the improvement and conservation of the conditions of wild animals. Wildlife tourism also improves the life of the local tribes, as when tourism flourishes, they get opportunities of improved livelihood. Continuous flow of tourists keep the poachers away from killing endangered species of animals. When tourists visit wildlife sanctuaries certain amount of entrance fee is charged from them.
This money is directed towards animal conservation programmes. However there are some negative impacts too. The disturbance is always high when tourists approach the wildlife very closely to take photos. Also, the breeding patterns of animals may also get disturbed due to constant pressure of tourists to take photographs of animals with their young ones.”
The rise of eco-tourism has fueled the burgeoning wildlife tourism industry. It is also driven by a growing understanding of bottom up conservation. People the world over are more likely to protect animals if the creatures can be woven into their economic well-being. If snow leopards, for example are seen as economic partners not threats. the local people are much more willing to protect them. Snow leopards (Uncia uncia) are under threat and three strategies are evident. The are protected by law from the top down. Governments and agencies do help to mitigate predation loss with payments. They also provide shelter to protect vulnerable livestock. Recently, efforts to help residents develop new profitable skills such as beekeeping have been started. This reduces competition between the cats and livestock owners. Top down conservation, mandated by governments or agencies is evolving into more sustainable conservation efforts.
Another aspect of conservation is modifying behaviors both human and animal. Efforts are underway to protect snow leopards by convincing locals to raise bees rather than livestock, reducing competition