Wildlife Tourism Management: Case Study of the Kruger National Park, South Africa as a Guideline for Wildlife Tourism Management in Thailand

Abstract

Wildlife tourism is a form of nature-based tourism that is growing rapidly due to an increased interest in the conservation attitudes and behavior of tourists. The development of wildlife tourism in Thailand has been proposed in Thai Tourism Strategy 2017–2021 to promote tourism in the country. The main objectives of this article are to 1) present the management principles employed in wildlife tourism in natural areas, 2) analyze the management of wildlife tourism in Kruger National Park South Africa, which is one of the famous wildlife destinations in the world, and 3) provide guidelines for wildlife tourism in protected areas of Thailand to develop the standards of wildlife tourism and promote sustainable tourism. Based on the analysis, the management guidelines for wildlife tourism are presented and include wildlife and habitat management, setting vehicle standards for game drive activity, developing specialized training courses for wildlife tour guides, establishing management mechanisms for wildlife tourism, promoting local participation in wildlife tourism management, and studying the various marketing strategies in wildlife tourism.