Do tar roads bring tourism? Growth corridor policy and tourism development in the Zambezi region, Namibia

TL;DR

This study examines how infrastructure development along growth corridors influences tourism in Namibia's Zambezi region, highlighting the importance of conservation areas and the limited benefits for local residents.

Contribution

It provides empirical evidence on the impact of infrastructure and conservation policies on tourism development at the local level in Namibia.

Findings

Infrastructure improvements increased regional tourism.

Conservation areas are essential for tourism growth.

Local residents experience limited benefits from tourism.

Abstract

There are high aspirations to foster growth in Namibia's Zambezi region via the development of tourism. The Zambezi region is a core element of the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA), a mosaic of areas with varying degrees of protection, which is designed to combine nature conservation and rural development. These conservation areas serve as a resource base for wildlife tourism, and growth corridor policy aims to integrate the region into tourism global production networks (GPNs) by means of infrastructure development. Despite the increasing popularity of growth corridors, little is known about the effectiveness of this development strategy at local level. The mixed-methods approach reveals that the improvement of infrastructure has led to increased tourism in the region. However, the establishment of a territorial conservation imaginary that results in the designation of conservation areas is a necessary precondition for such a development. Despite the far-reaching territorial claims associated with tourism, the benefits for rural residents are limited.