In Focus: The impact of safari tourism - and how the industry can minimise damage

Facts and figures

According to market research firm Dataintelo, the luxury safari sector was worth $2.6 billion in 2023, projected to increase to $5.8 billion by 2032. For Africa’s most famed safari regions, this growth has the potential to cause harm. Lippa Wood, co-owner of Kenya-based ecotourism brand Collection in the Wild, says: “Some safari regions are already beginning to feel the pressure of concentrated tourism. Too many vehicles, too much infrastructure and an overfocus on the same areas can ultimately impact both the environment and the guest experience.”

Mark Wheeler, president of specialist operator andBeyond, agrees the concentration of tourists is a concern. “Overtourism in safari regions is not just a question of too many people. It’s a question of pressure in the wrong places, at the wrong times and in the wrong way,” he says.

The operator has recently seen first-hand the impact unregulated safari tourism can have, during an overcrowded wildebeest sighting in the Serengeti National Park last year – a viral video showing people exiting vehicles to get closer to the animals prompted backlash. A group of andBeyond guests was present, but a statement from the brand clarified that “neither our guide nor any guests exited the vehicle”, and Wheeler believes “similar patterns of congestion and disregard for wildlife movement” occur across the continent.

Another well-loved safari destination is Kenya’s Maasai Mara, where The Ritz-Carlton opened a property last year. The Ritz-Carlton, Masai Mara Safari Camp became the subject of a legal complaint lodged by Kenyan environmentalist Meitamei Olol Dapash, who claimed the camp blocks a critical wildlife corridor. The legal petition against the lodge was dismissed in April, with general manager Justin Landry emphasising the property’s focus is “respecting local communities and preserving the natural ecosystem”. But the case poses a dilemma: if more properties open in the region, how long until this infrastructure actually does inhibit animals’ natural behaviours?

Crowd control

To help minimise safaris’ environmental impact, Zambia and Madagascar lodge operator Time + Tide believes directing visitors away from popular areas is vital. Chief executive Bruce Simpson says: “Overexposure of specific sites and ‘Instagrammable’ moments can concentrate pressure in a few locations. Destinations are far more layered, with many extraordinary places, people and experiences that make it unique.”

This sentiment is echoed by Janey Berry, the founder of luxury agency Berry Travel, who steers clients to lesser-visited destinations. “I get a lot of enquiries for the Great Migration and, for many of them, I persuade [clients] not to do it, simply because of the crowds,” she says.

As well as encouraging a more even distribution of tourists, placing restrictions on the number of daily visitors permitted entry to a reserve could be another solution. Praveen Moman, founder of gorilla and chimpanzee experiences operator Volcanoes Safaris, believes “there are lessons in [the gorilla trekking] model everywhere”. Established in the late 1970s, the model stipulates that “a limited number of people per day are allowed to see a gorilla family for one hour”, ensuring tourism is “sensitive and controlled”. Moman believes that, if tourism in destinations such as Kenya and Tanzania continues to grow rapidly, imposing “strict protocols” would be beneficial, as “number control has been central to the survival of [gorillas]”.

Ensuring new properties directly address the environmental concerns of the region in which they operate is also essential for combatting overtourism, according to Wilderness Group’s head of impact Vincent Shacks. The Africa safari specialist is opening a new lodge in the Maasai Mara this month, which Shacks believes will offer the brand the chance to “contribute to the protection of this critical ecological landscape”. The group has recognised “intense pressure” on river catchments as one of the region’s “biggest ecological threats”, so will focus on “specific partnerships and interventions” to improve these conditions.

Protecting people

When it comes to implementing measures, it’s not just the environment and animals that benefit. Kenya-based ecotourism brand Sarara operates a model that’s driven by the local Samburu people and rooted in community-led initiatives, which director of conservation Katie Rowe believes sets “a pioneering example of how ecotourism and conservation can drive meaningful change”. What this model means is the Samburu remain “the true custodians” of the land and all benefits of protecting wildlife and ecosystems “flow directly” to the community.

Peter Eastwood, founder of eco-focused brand Sashwa, which operates a lodge in South Africa’s Kruger National Park, echoes the importance of models like these, saying: “You’re never going to save Africa’s wildlife until [African people] own it themselves.” The brand, which donates 100% of its profits to conservation, focuses on supporting local communities, particularly through investing in nonprofit organisation Koru Camp.

Community empowerment is also very important for African safari lodge operator Singita, which implements “community initiatives focused on education, entrepreneurship and livelihoods”. Inge Kotze, executive group head of conservation, neatly sums up the benefits of community and conservation-focused safaris, stating that “responsible tourism should contribute more to a landscape than it extracts from it”, ultimately ensuring the magic of safari remains unspoiled for the enjoyment of generations to come.