Journal of Sustainable Tourism
Editors: Bill Bramwell (Sheffield Hallam University) and Bernard Lane (Visiting Research Fellow, Sheffield Hallam University)
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Volume: 8 Number: 3 Page: 175–189
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The Monetary Impact of Tourism on Protected Area Management and the Local Economy in Dzanga-Sangha (Central African Republic)
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Allard Blom
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This paper analyses the premise that revenues from tourism can provide economic sustainability for the management of both the Dzanga-Sangha Special Dense Forest Reserve and the Dzanga-Ndoki National Park,
both in the Central African Republic. Second, the paper examines the impact of tourism on the local economy. The results demonstrate that the present form of tourism has so far been unable to become self-financing.
In particular, if investments and depreciation are taken into account it becomes evident that private commercial financing of similar investments is unlikely to be viable. Tourism alone provides insufficient
revenue to cover the operating costs of the Park and Reserve. The impact of tourism on the local economy, however, is substantial. Revenue from tourism contributed to the acceptance of the Dzanga-Sangha
Project by the local population and has probably contributed to an increase in effectiveness of law enforcement. The Dzanga-Sangha Project tourism programme has at least been partially successful in providing
an alternative economic option to more environmentally destructive activities, but it needs to raise additional revenue. The Project should also pursue alternative funding mechanisms, such as trust funds,
and generate additional income through gorilla tourism, safari hunting and sustainable forestry.
© Channel View Publications 2000
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