South Africa’s hunting tourism sector is an often overlooked powerhouse of economic activity, contributing about R44.03 billion and 95,000 jobs to the country’s economy.
A recent study by North-West University Professors Peet van der Merwe and Andrea Saayman revealed the significant impact of hunting tourism on South Africa’s rural economy.
Following the Covid-19 pandemic, tourism worldwide has struggled to rebound, including in South Africa.
Stats SA has reported that, despite a significant post-pandemic recovery, South Africa’s international tourism sector remains 12.8% below 2019 levels, highlighting the country’s slow path to full recovery.
However, Van der Merwe and Saayman found that South Africa’s strong hunting tourism sector has quietly propped up the overall tourism industry.
They calculated hunting tourism’s annual contribution to South Africa’s economy at $2.5 billion, or about R44.03 billion.
This sector comprises local and international hunters, with the former contributing the bulk of economic activity.
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