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Promotion and implementation of wildlife based tourism
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There are opportunities and constraints for tourism development in Niassa. On the positive side is the pristine wilderness quality of the area, spectacular scenery offered by the majestic granite inselbergs and numerous rivers, some of the largest concentration of wildlife in Mozambique, and an exciting bush experience well off the beaten track. Drawbacks include remoteness and difficult access due to distance from regional tourism itineraries and very poor roads, lack of any established tourism infrastructure and the logistical hardship associated with starting an enterprise under these conditions.
Niassa Conservation and Community Development Program aims to develop and implement a coherent tourism strategy for Niassa Reserve, including eco-tourism and adventure trails in the core areas and safari hunting and wildlife breeding in the buffer zone. The revenues generated from the tourism activities will be used to support the Conservation Management and Community Development components of the program.
Investors/Operators in the Buffer Areas
The Management Plan has established five buffer zone blocks, which surround the Reserve on its eastern, southern and western boundaries. The management of these blocks is contracted out by SRN to operators/investors through long term leases, under which they develop commercial tourism operations (mainly hunting safaris and game farm/ranching), in addition to have some clearly defined development obligations. The operators pay a fixed leasing fee to SRN, as a contribution to the revenue needed to operate the Reserve as well as to the community fund to support their development.
A careful selection process was carried out to identify operators prepared to invest a number of years without the prospectus for large profits in the early years. A number of investors have been identified and have already begun their operations.
Assessment of tourism potential of Niassa Reserve
During the years, several experienced and successful tourism operators have been invited to provide advice on the potential of Niassa Reserve for development of ecotourism. The general consensus is that ecotourism development in Niassa is going to be a very slow and difficult process at the beginning, due to its remoteness and present relatively low concentrations of wildlife in comparison with other better known destinations in Africa. However, the first adventure safari with tourists from Europe and led by a specialist operator from Zimbabwe at the end of 2 000 drew very favourable comments from all parties.
Although ecotourism will be slow to develop initially, the longer-term prospects are much brighter. To the west of the Reserve, one hour’s flight away, is Lake Niassa which is Africa’s third largest lake. It boasts clean crystal blue fresh water, unspoiled sandy beaches, and a veritable aquarium of more than 500 species of brightly colored tropical fish. To the east of the Reserve, also one-hour flight away, is the warm Indian Ocean. The 400 kilometer long coastline from the Rovuma river mouth in the north down to Pemba in the south is undeveloped and virtually uninhabited, and is an almost endless succession of unspoiled white beaches and islands. The Quirimba archipelago comprises some 25 small islands, most of which are surrounded by coral reefs, and offers excellent diving/ snorkelling and world class game fishing. Not far away to the north is one of the largest protected areas in Africa - Selous Game Reserve in Tanzania. An adequate strategy integrating the Lake Malawi, Niassa Reserve and Quirimba islands will provide an attractive and diverse itinerary.
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