South Africa is one of the most interesting countries in the world. It has a rich history and tradition, and many notable people came from this country, including the legends such as Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, but also contemporary stars Trevor Noah, Charlize Theron and Elon Musk.

Ecotourism in South Africa — What Is It?

But if you ask any South African what the best thing about their country is, most of them will tell you the same thing — biodiversity. According to the latest research, South Africa is home to 856 bird species and 299 mammal species, which means it’s a very biodiverse area. However, being biodiverse has its disadvantages too.

Biodiversity — How to Preserve It?

The problem with biodiverse countries is that they have to take care of animals that are often endangered by the sheer presence of humans. Humans often make animals endangered without being aware of it. Luckily, we live in a day and age where science can tell us exactly which areas contain endangered species and what we must do in order to stop the extinction.

Tourism Is Important to South Africa

On the other hand, South Africa needs to offer its visitors an opportunity to visit some of the most notable places and nature resorts. After all, it’s one of the ways this country’s coffers are being filled, as tourism is the fourth biggest foreign exchange generator in the southernmost country of Africa.

Therefore, they had to come up with a new concept that would attract tourists and, at the same time, preserve nature and the rich flora and fauna located in this area. The answer was ecotourism.

What Exactly Is Ecotourism?

Ecotourism is a type of tourism that involves going to relatively undisturbed places. It’s safe to say that ecotourists often visit places where humans don’t normally venture, meaning they visit untouched nature.

These places are often pristine and very fragile, which means that even minimal human activity could affect them. That’s why ecotourists need to be very careful when going to these places. Therefore, the sole idea of ecotourism is to make as little impact on nature as possible, and yet be able to explore it.

Ecotourism goes well with the slow travelling concept that is based on the philosophy of travelling at a slow pace and absorbing all of nature’s wonders along the way. Nowadays, many people plan only short trips and have no time to stop and absorb their surroundings. But if you are a slow traveller, South Africa’s ecotourism will be a perfect option.

Ecotourism in South Africa

The officials of South Africa wanted to combine dulce cum utili and decided to support ecotourism in the country. That way, the country would attract more tourists, creating more jobs and improving the overall income.

South Africa’s tourism now includes ecotourism as well, as tourists are encouraged to go and visit some very biodiverse areas. That way, the biodiversity of the country is further promoted and minimal impact on nature is made, as tourists are often very careful in this type of expeditions.

Should You Visit South Africa?

If you love nature and all the way it manifests itself, you should definitely visit the land of South Africa and even take part in ecotourism, which means you will probably visit some magnificent nature resorts in the country.

Just be careful when going on such trips; you shouldn’t endanger nature in any way since protecting the biodiversity of the country is one of South Africa’s primary goals. Make sure to have a professional guide who will teach you how to minimise your impact on the environment and maximise the promotion of this biodiverse country.

Conclusion: It Still Needs Improvement

Although the idea of ecotourism as such is great, South Africa still needs to work on it to further improve tourists’ experiences and minimise their impact on the environment. The government of South Africa has started numerous initiatives in order to upgrade this sector, but not many of them followed through.

However, once regulated and improved, this country’s ecotourism could become really popular, especially among the people who like learning about plants, animals, and other wonders of nature.

 

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