Abstract
In 2002, during the Johannesburg Earth Summit in South Africa, the Gabonese government made a decision to preserve three million hectares, approximately 11 per cent of its entire country by establishing a network of 13 national parks. Akanda National Park (ANP) is one the 13 national parks that were established by the government of Gabon in order to ensure the protection of the country’s rich biodiversity and the development of ecotourism. This decision was motivated by the need for diversification of the Gabonese economy due to the downfall of oil production on which the country has been relying for many decades. In addition the government wanted to support the increasing awareness of global phenomena such as climate change, greenhouse effects, and global warming, all of which affect the country.
Following the government’s decision to develop a solid ecotourism industry, there was a belief that ANP might be considered a port of entry for the ecotourism industry in Gabon, because of its natural potential and its proximity to the capital city, Libreville, the most developed urban agglomeration in the country. However, ANP remains unknown to tourists locally and internationally. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the potential of ANP for ecotourism, investigating the reasons for its lack of current tourist popularity, as well as proposing solutions to develop its existing ecotourism.
A qualitative methodology was adopted using a phenomenological approach to collect empirical materials through two qualitative interview schedules (one targeting ANP stakeholders and another the Libreville residents), and observations (using a checklist as a tool).
The study found that ANP stakeholders believed that the park had potential for valuable ecotourism activities, because the environment was rich in natural resources; however, the staff numbers need to increase and the marketing strategy requires honing. The Libreville residents were reluctant to visit the park due to high prices and lack of infrastructure; however, they could see the potential for job creation. The observations confirmed these findings. The most important finding is the need for the government to become more involved through the minister of tourism in promting useage of the ANP nationally and internationally. When the promotion becomes part of a government economic growth strategy, ANP can be promoted for eco-tourism.
M.A.