The Socio-Economic and Environmental Effects of the Implementation of the Tourism Policy of 1990 in the Okavango Delta, Botswana

This paper evaluates the impacts of Botswana's Tourism Policy of 1990 on tourism development in the Okavango Delta. This evaluation is selective and based on specific clauses of the policy which focus on the following: the general and specific objectives, tourism marketing, local participation and localization of tourism enterprises. Secondary and primary data sources collected between 1998 and 2005 were used in the study. The results indicate that due to other factors such as the return of political stability in Southern Africa in the 1980s and 1990s and the global improvement in the transport and communication systems, the implementation of the policy in the Okavango Delta led to an increase in tourist numbers and segments, gross domestic product, government revenue and employment opportunities. The implementation of the policy coupled with poor tourism planning has also led to enclave tourism which is characterised by a predominantly foreign owned tourism industry. Other noticeable effects include poor waste management and overcrowding of tourism facilities. The lack of policy guidelines and inadequate monitoring of environmental impacts have resulted in tourism development threatening the ecological integrity of the Okavango Delta. Future tourism policy initiatives should, therefore, include the ideals of sustainable tourism development in design and implementation.