Transboundary Use and Protection of Natural Resources in the SADC region – Tourism Component

The TUPNR programm focuses on the establishment and sustainable management of Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCA) in the sixteen SADC member states. TFCAs have the substantial potential to meaningfully contribute to the conservation of biodiversity, the preservation of wildlife, and the socio-economic development of rural communities living in and around them. TFCAs are an ideal platform to promote tourism growth in Southern Africa, thereby contributing to employment generation, livelihood diversification and poverty reduction in rural and remote areas adjacent to these major attractions. The tourism sector has a large economic potential and currently contributes to between 0.7% (DRC) -22% (Seychelles) to the national GDP of SADC member states.

Program overall objective: The implementation of SADC protocols and strategies for sustainable natural resource management in TFCAs by local, national and regional actors is improved.

Services provided

  1. Support tourism policy function of the SADC Secretariat and the SADC member states
  2. Strengthen institutions involved in the development of sustainable tourism in TFCAs, focusing on Boundless Southern Africa
  3. Strengthen the marketing of TFCA tourism destination products
  4. Capacity development of private and public stakeholders and public relations to raise aware-ness about TFCA tourism in the Central-European, regional and local market