Nature-based tourism offers significant opportunities for diversifying local economies, creating jobs, and financing  conservation. The workshop provided a platform for countries to discuss how nature-based tourism development can be strengthened, with sessions focused on integrating tourism into national development agendas, strengthening value chains, designing inclusive tourism products, ensuring benefit sharing, unlocking financing, and building institutional and community capacity. 

As part of the workshop, participants joined a field visit to iSimangaliso Wetland Park, which showcased practical approaches for engaging and building the capacity of local communities to support nature-based tourism. Initiatives such as a community hub providing training, internet access, and conservation education, along with homestays run by local residents inside the park, are helping communities understand that nature-based tourism can offer sustainable livelihoods while supporting conservation. 

Participants highlighted several opportunities to strengthen building blocks for nature-based tourism. Understanding tourism markets and diversifying products emerged as a priority, with many countries noting vulnerability due to reliance on international visitors. Technical guidance on market analysis and marketing strategies was identified as a need. Capacity building for communities and small enterprises was another technical priority to meet service standards and access larger markets. Benefit sharing was recognized as central to success, but weak implementation and unequal distribution remain obstacles. Public-private partnerships were discussed as underdeveloped in many contexts, with calls for improved communication, streamlined regulations, and transparent engagement. The importance of strengthening data systems for evidence-based tourism planning was also raised, particularly to identify the economic and social impacts of nature-based tourism. 

Visit the GWP website for more information.