School of Environmental Science, Murdoch University Western Australia, Australia; Science Operations Manager, Savanna and Arid Research Unit, Scientific Services, South African National Parks, South Africa
Strickland-Munro, J.K., School of Environmental Science, Murdoch University Western Australia, Australia; Moore, S.A., School of Environmental Science, Murdoch University Western Australia, Australia; Freitag-Ronaldson, S., Science Operations Manager, Savanna and Arid Research Unit, Scientific Services, South African National Parks, South Africa
This paper explores the socioeconomic impacts of tourism associated with the Kruger National Park, South Africa's flagship national park, on the neighbouring villages of Cork and Belfast. Case study research, where the study area was characterised as a social-ecological system, was used to investigate the impacts of Park tourism on these communities. The findings offer a micro-scale, local community perspective of these impacts and indicate that the enclave nature of Park tourism keeps local communities separate from the Park and makes it hard for them to benefit from it. The paper concludes with reflections on this perceived separation, and suggests the need to make the Park boundaries more 'permeable' so as to improve relationships with adjacent communities, while also pragmatically managing community expectations. © 2010 Development Bank of Southern Africa.