The Resilience of Lodges in Private Protected Areas to COVID-19: Lessons from South Africa

Liam Fisher-Jeffes () and Kevin Mearns
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Liam Fisher-Jeffes: Department of Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa
Kevin Mearns: Department of Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa

Chapter Chapter 9 in COVID-19, Tourist Destinations and Prospects for Recovery, 2023, pp 155-176 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract This study analysed factors of COVID-19 which affected the tourism industry and how private protected areas adapted to decrease the effects of external market shocks within the industry. This tested the resilience within the tourism industry, allowing the study to critique the current theory surrounding resilience. This was done using a qualitative case study analysis of four private nature-based tourism lodges through semi-structured questionnaire surveys based on five socio-economic themes. The findings suggest that wildlife-based land uses can successfully adapt over the short term through cost-saving methods, a move to focus on the domestic market, retrenchments and wage-cutting. However, private protected areas (PPAs) cannot operate in the long term without international clients. We recommend improved government communication and support for PPAs, considering their natural, social and economic importance to South Africa, and the establishment of an emergency fund.

Keywords: COVID-19; Private protected areas; Ecotourism; Socio-economic adaptation; Wildlife-based land use; Resilience (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-3-031-24655-5_9

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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-24655-5_9

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