Connecting tourism to conservation for a better Namibia

Mass tourism across the world has led to serious environmental degradation and has become an ever-present threat to nature. In Namibia, we are only starting to see some of these effects. In its mission to drive sustainable tourism by bridging the gap between tourism and conservation, Tourism Supporting Conservation Trust (TOSCO) has recently transitioned to a voluntary association (VA).

At the founding member event held on 22 November, stakeholders from the tourism industry and conservation organisations came together to sign into being the constitution of the newly established VA, electing an executive council and welcoming TOSCO to an exciting new era.

“We saw the need for a deeper connection between tourism and conservation in order for tourism to become an industry that encourages care and conservation,” Lara Potma, TOSCO’s managing director, said at the event.

According to Potma, unmanaged tourism is one of the biggest threats to nature. Due to the growth in tourism globally, we can see the negative effects on nature and the result is that it changes the natural character of areas. In Namibia, we can see the effects of bad tourism in National Parks, like overcrowded sightings in Etosha or the large numbers of tourists at Deadvlei. We can also see the negative outcome it has on communities in the way tourists interact with local cultures like the Ovahimba. In some of the interactions posted by foreigners on social media platforms and blogs, very little attention is given to respecting these communities, their traditions and their culture and the narrative has become tourist centred. Traditions end up being stripped of their deeper meaning for the consumption of travellers. This lack of mutual respect marks a power imbalance as the communities do not have much of a say in some of these exchanges.

“Tourism in Namibia is still growing but we are already starting to see that nature is paying the price. We see it in guest reviews, topics of tourism and conservation circles, as well as the pressure on desert-adapted elephants,” Potma remarked.

Tourism must take responsibility for preserving its natural resources, especially as conservation efforts face a growing funding crisis. The cost of effective conservation is immense, requiring sustainable solutions and collaboration. “What we want to do is restore ecosystems, uplift communities and create sustainable livelihoods. We want to make places better through tourism. We face a lot of challenges and need to realise that investing in conservation is a major investment in tourism. Tourism can benefit significantly from protecting nature,” Potma explained.

According to her, examples from Namibia demonstrate that tourism can play a vital role in supporting conservation. For local communities, the opportunities created by tourism serve as a strong incentive to protect wildlife. In conservancies, tourism has been instrumental in helping communities safeguard nature and fund conservation efforts. Moreover, tourism offers a more sustainable alternative to environmentally damaging activities such as mining. TOSCO’s mission has always been to serve as a bridge between tourism and conservation to help close that gap.

In transitioning to a VA, it is a way to strengthen organisational structures and adopt new approaches to address these evolving dynamics effectively. The goal is to build an organisation that enables tourism to make an even greater contribution to conservation. There is also interest from industries outside of tourism, as businesses are eager to take action but often lack the knowledge or guidance to do so.

For TOSCO, two key ideas stand at the heart of meaningful travel: connecting with people through hospitality and facilitating a connection to a place, where travellers can immerse themselves in a destination, gain an understanding and create special experiences. One of the most impactful ways to strengthen this bond is by integrating tourism experiences into Namibia’s conservation success story and working in partnership with communities. While Namibia has an incredible conservation narrative, many tourists leave without ever learning about it.

“We want to position TOSCO as offering a service rather than an optional good cause. A service that could link tourism companies to impactful projects because we have conservation partners who understand where the real needs are. It is important to sharpen the focus of project areas to make sure it is easily understood,” said Potma.

The aim is to initiate new projects focused on themes such as climate education and wildlife, bridging tourism and conservation to create meaningful, lasting impacts that make destinations better through tourism. This includes looking at conservation contributions for operators visiting conservancies and exploring ways to connect these initiatives with innovative tourism experiences. These experiences will enhance guest engagement, foster deeper interactions with the environment and local communities, and provide direct support for conservation efforts and community development.

This new governance model, which includes a council and executive committee, brings together tourism and conservation organisations within a unified framework. It fosters inclusive decision-making and leverages collective expertise to create a coordinated impact on conservation through sustainable tourism. Additionally, this structure enables TOSCO to join the Federation of Namibian Tourism Associations (FENATA), further enhancing its role in promoting responsible tourism linked to conservation.

The VA platform aims to establish a shared language for sustainable tourism within Namibia’s conservation landscape, encouraging collaboration and amplifying positive outcomes. Beyond ensuring tourism businesses adhere to sustainability practices, a dynamic network where businesses inspire and influence one another to adopt and uphold best practices is envisioned. This will contribute to a self-regulating system that promotes collective responsibility, continuous improvement and greater accountability.