South African economists have found that claims by the trophy hunting industry that the industry is a major contributor to local economies and to wildlife conservation are not supported by the evidence. They also believe that a UK ban on trophy hunting imports could help to strengthen global conservation efforts by supporting real economic development and generating sustainable, resilient prosperity in poorer rural areas of Africa.
A new report from the Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting sets out the evidence for eco-tourism as a sustainable alternative to trophy hunting for creating prosperity and supporting conservation in local communities in Africa and beyond. It finds that switching in an organised fashion from trophy hunting to nature-based ‘non-extractive’ tourism could create 11 times more jobs in South Africa in poorer rural areas, and they would be better jobs than those currently provided by the trophy hunting industry.
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