The Covid-19 pandemic created multiple disruptions to how society works: the near-total suspension of global travel was one of these. Where global tourism revenues helped to deliver biodiversity conservation and local livelihoods, the pandemic dramatically altered the trajectory of many local economies.
It is no exaggeration to say that the collapse of wildlife tourism threatens to compromise decades of development and conservation work in nature-rich and emblematic parts of Africa. It also made the frailty of nature conservation and livelihoods dependent on nature-based tourism increasingly apparent. How can we regain what we have lost while building a more resilient future, looking beyond tourism, for people and nature conservation in Africa?
For this initiative, the Luc Hoffmann Institute partnered with the World Wide Fund for Nature, The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Maliasili, Vizzuality, Wilderness Safaris, the Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD), The Nature Conservancy, Resource Africa, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), The Lion's Share, The Global Environment Facility (GEF), Boundless Southern Africa, the African Wildlife Foundation, Fauna & Flora International, and Cordio East Africa.