Tourism

TOURISM AND WILD LIFE CONSERVATION IN EAST AFRICA

Introduction

Tourism is an economic activity, which involves the movement or travelling from one region to another for pleasure, curiosity, adventure and study purposes.

The tourist industry is based on the travellers’ means of transport, accommodation and other related services.

Tourism may involve people travelling within the country i.e. domestic tourism or travelling to places outside their country of residence i.e. international tourism.The major tourist attraction in East Africa is wildlife. Others include the land scope, drainage system, different tribal/cultural life, historical site e.g. Fort Jesus, Bigobyamugyenyi e.t.c, Game parks and reserves e.t.c.

Brief description

The unit deals with tourism and wildlife conservation in East Africa.

Distribution of tourist attraction

1. Importance of tourism


2. Factors that have favoured the development of tourism in E. Africa.


3. Problems faced in the industry and their solutions.

Main content and concepts to emphasise

The teacher should emphasise the following:

• Definition of the following: tourism, wildlife, game parks and game reserves.

• Describe the tourist attractions in East Africa.

• Identify the tourist attractions in East Africa countries.

• Factors favouring tourism in each of the countries.

• Benefits of tourism and wildlife conservation in East Africa.

• Problems faced in the tourism industry and solutions.

Job related life skills

1. Communication: ability to read, write,listen and speak using appropriate language.
   

2. Team work: ability to cooperate and share tasks with colleagues.
   

3. Personal attributes : creativity, enthusiasm, reflective thinking, self awareness
   

4. Information skills : ability to identify information needs,observe and collect evidence and present findings appropriately
   

5. Implementation and Application: ability to accomplish given tasks.
   
   
   

   DEVELOPMENT OF TOURISM IN E.AFRICA

   Factors that encourage the development of tourism in E. Africa

   The physical factors :- Involves the pleasant climate. Attractive physical features such as mountains, lakes, coastal beaches, rivers, lakes, vegetation e.t.c
   Economical factors:- These involve transport and communication, Hotels and accommodation centres, shopping facilities, Entertainment, well-trained catering staff, water supply to major tourist centres.
   Political factors:- Tourists want to visit areas where there is political stability.
   Cultural factors:- Tourists enjoy visiting places of historical and architectural interest, for example cities, churches, mosques, temples, palaces and pyramids.
   Tourism and benefits of wildlife conservation
6. Animals are conserved and natural vegetation preserved and this is turn has led to conservation of soil and catchment area.
7. Government earn foreign currency, as many of the tourists are foreigners.
8. Provide employment opportunities for nationals/citizens. Many people are employed as game wanders, managers, attendants in hotels, souverniour shops, safari and out-fit shops, travel agents etc.
9. Many areas where these attractions are found have their infrastructure well developed e.g. good roads, recreation facilities, hospitals, schools. e.t.c
10. The industry indirectly benefits other sectors for example agriculture, fishing crafts.
11. Tourism utilises the unproductive agricultural land, which is sparsely populated.
12. It creates good social and political relations amongst the state hence this makes many areas luxuriant and attractive.
13. There is preservation of culture.
14. Towns have developed in these areas with tourist attractions. This has led to development of infrastructure in such areas and business as increased.
15. Tourism has led to the development of remote areas.
16. Towns have developed in areas with tourist resorts and business has increased.
17. The government also benefits from the sales of licences to tour operators who are taxed hence increased revenue.

Problems facing the tourism industry

1.  Poor infrastructure and communications from the major urban centres to the major tourist attractions. I.e. the roads are in poor state and worse during the rainy season. The railway is inefficient and slow and still operational in few areas. Air transport services are very few in Uganda and its quite expensive especially for the international tourist.

2. Political instability or insecurity, for example in Uganda, this affects the sector in the following ways: -

  ♦ Scares away the animals in the reserves.

  ♦ There is destruction of the infrastructure e.g. roads, hotels, people run away from war torn areas.

3. Increased poaching, which has led to extinction of some birds and animals.

4. Many areas of tourist attraction are in remote areas, which hinder many tourists to visit them leading to loss of foreign exchange.

5. Poor advertisement of Uganda’s tourist attractions especially at international levels. Most of the tourists lack knowledge of what is in Uganda.

6. Competition from other countries which a more developed and have well set up tourist attractions e.g. in terms of infrastructure, better roads, more hotels, communication and are more politically stable.

7. Language barrier especially with regard to the international languages. Very few employees in this industry can speak many of the foreign languages.
e t c

Solutions to problems facing the tourism industry

1. Improvements in transport and communication e.g. Better roads are being constructed leading to the tourist attractions. In Uganda the Kampala- Kasese road leading to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

2. Improvement on security by controlling the rebel activities especially in areas with tourist attractions. For example ensuring security to the tourists travelling to Kidepo National Park or to western Uganda.

3. Laws have been set up by the government discouraging poaching of the wild animals and conservation of vegetation e.g. the wetland conservation policy, forest conservation policy.

4. The governments have tried to advertise through media and also publishing documentaries about the tourist attractions, use of procures, stamps, opening up web sites and the adverts are mainly targeting the European countries e.g. UK, German e.t.c

5. Employing forest officers and game rangers to help in stopping forestry fires and poaching.

6. Improving in hospitality and the quality of service rendered to the tourist through training tour operators for example leisure and hospitality, and tourism courses are offered at the university.

How to improve Tourism in East Africa

1. Construction of transport n network or building better roads leading to the tourist centres.
   
2. The level of hospitality to the tourists has been improved and this has increased the number of tourists coming into the different countries.

3. There is need for political stability to ensure the security of the tourists.

4. Diversification from the traditional tourist attractions of National parks and game reserves to include more of sport activities e.t.c.

5. Attracting both local and foreign investors to put facilities like hotels, lodges etc for tourists.

6. Comprehensive training of managers, wardens, travel agents, guides etc who work in the tourist sector.

7. Liberalisation of tourist attractions and facilities e.g. hotels etc

8. Establishment of wildlife clubs and education centres.

9. Mass education about the importance and need for tourism.

10. Improving international relations and political climate.

11. Resettlement of the people to reduce encroachment on the tourist facilities.

12. Disarming hostile tribes e.g. the karamajong, turkana etc.

13. Strict-anti poaching laws and regulations are enforced.

14. Spraying Tse tse infested areas and vaccination services are provided.

15. Extensive advertising using stamps, posters, brochures, films etc

16. Discouraging burning and clearing of vegetation in areas surrounding the National parks and game reserves that scares away animals.

17. There is need for political stability to ensure the security of the tourists.

18. The level of hospitality to the tourists has to be improved so as to attract more of the tourists coming from different countries.

19. Construction of transport network or building better roads leading to the tourist centres.

20. Diversification from the traditional tourist attractions of National parks and game reserves to include more of sport activities.
    
    
    

    TOURISM AND WILD LIFE CONSERVATION IN EAST AFRICA

    LEARNERS' ACTIVITIES
    Activity one
21. What do you understand e term wildlife?
    

2. What is the difference between flora and fauna?
   

3. Mention some of the wildlife features youknow of in your country
   

4. How many types of wild animals do you know? – give examples.
   

5. Which of these wild animals are edible? - give examples.
   

6. What problems are faced by wild animals?
   

7. Give the benefits people get from wild animals
   

Activity two

The field study
 
In groups of 10, ask the learners to vist any wildlife site of your choice to;

1. Find out the location of the tourist reserve.
   
2. Identify the major tourist attractions in the area.
   
3. Find out the physical and human factors that have influenced the growth and development of the tourist site .
   
4. Find out the tourist trend.ie.
   
5. The number of tourist arrivals in the past five years
   
6. Their country of origin / nationality
   
7. Tourist season
   
8. Find out the impact of tourism on the surrounding area
   
9. Identify the tourist potentials in and around the community
   
10. Establish challenges wildlife is facing in Uganda
    
11. Find out how the government has come in to combat these challenges
    

NOTE: let each group make a presentation to their classmates in class

Activity three

1. Define the following terms:
   

• Game park
  
• Game reserve
  

2. Name five national parks in your country.
   
3. Name some of the animals in each of the national parks mentioned above.
   
4. Draw a sketch map of East Africa and on it mark and name the national parks mentioned above.
   
5. Why are game reserves important?
   
6. Name four animals which are in danger of extinction in the national parks.
   
7. Give reasons why the animals mentioned above are on high demand.
   
8. In what ways can you protect the wild animals in your country?
   

Activity four

Ask a resource person to talk to your learners on issues pertaining wildlife, ensure that learners take note and encourage them to interact freely with the resource person in terms of question and answer

Activity five

Assume you are a community leader and you have been assigned work to sensitise the people on how to boost the tourist industry in your community, write down what you are going to present.   

Activity six

Provide learners with a photograph to interprete.

1. Name the type of photograph above.
   
2. State the activity taking place in the foreground.
   
3. Name the physical features in the photograph.
   
4. Giving reasons for your answer, state the factors which favour the activity stated in (ii) above.
   

Activity seven

Project

The teacher organizes the class into a group of five students.
The teacher then gives them the guidelines on how to make crafts like cups, mats, etc using local materials that can be sold to the tourists.  

STRUCTURED QUESTIONSSECTION B

1. (a) Draw a sketch map of East Africa and on it mark and name;
    (i) National parks: Tsavo, Queen Elizabeth and Mkomazi.
    (ii) Game reserves: Matheriko, selous.

        (b) Identify THREE types of tourist attractions in East Africa besides wild life.

        (c) Identify the factors, which have led to the development of tourism in East Africa.

        (d) Outline the problems facing the tourist industry in East Africa

2. (a) Draw a map of Uganda and on it mark and name:

        (i) National parks: L.mburo, Bwindi, Semliki,Kidepo,and Murchison falls.

        (ii) Kazinga channel, L.Bisinia and Mt.Elgon.
 

    (b) Mention at least ONE Tourist attraction found in: -

         (i) Bwindi             (ii) Murchison falls     (iii) Kidepo
     
    (c) Describe the factors that have contributed to the development of tourism in Uganda
  
    (d)  (i) State FIVE problems facing the tourist industry in Uganda.

         (ii) How are the problems stated in (d) (i) above being solved?

KEY WORDS

• Wild life
• Game reserves
• National parks
• A zoo
• Sanctuary
• Poaching
• Encroachment
• Game rangers
• Scenery
• Infrastructure

Answer to structured questions

Photograph interpretation

Photograph interpretation related to tourism

1 (a)  i).  State the economic activity taking place in the area shown in this photograph.

        ii).   Describe the vegetation in the foreground and background shown in the photograph in (a) i) above.

  (b). What alternative activities can be carried out on the type of vegetation shown in the photograph in (a) above.

  (c).  Mention two factors favouring and two problems facing the economic activity shown in the photograph in (a) (i)above.

  (d) (i) Explain the effects of the activity shown in the photograph on the environment

      (ii) Giving reasons for your answer, suggest an area in East Africa where this photograph could have been taken.

Pie charts and graphs

Using statistical data to draw the pie charts and graphs.

Country	National park	Attractions
Uganda	Bwindi	Mt. Gorilla’s
	Queen Elizabeth	- Blue monkeys - Chimpanzees - Hogs - Afro mountain rain forest.
	Kidepo	- Lions, Giraffes, Zebras, Massive herds of Buffaloes, Elephants. - Bird species.
	Murchison falls	- Elephants, water falls, Antelopes, Nile perch, Chimpanzees, Giraffes, Lions, Buffaloes, Crocodiles, Birds etc.
Kenya	Tsavo	- Lions, Elephants, Giraffes, Wild- beasts, black rhinocerous, small grazing animals.
	Nakuru	- Flamingos, Buffaloes, waterbuck, reedbucks, Impala, bush back, Hippopotamus.
	Amboseh	Lions, Elephants, Cheetahs, Zebras, Eland, Water buck, Impala, Baboon, Spotted hyena, Black-backed jackal etc
Tanzania	Serengeti	- Zebra, Giraffe - Wild beasts