TOURISM RESOURCES CONFLICTS IN PROTECTED AREAS: A CASE STUDY OF THE MAKULEKE CONTRACTUAL NATIONAL PARK
Résumé
Protected areas increasingly depend on tourism to support biodiversity conservation and local development; however, conflicts over governance, resource access, and benefit-sharing continue to challenge sustainability outcomes. The Makuleke Contractual National Park (MCNP) in South Africa, established through a landmark land restitution agreement, provides a valuable context for examining the relationship between co-management and tourism-resource conflict. This study aimed to investigate how co-management arrangements shape governance processes, access to tourism benefits, and sustainability outcomes within MCNP. A qualitative case study approach was employed, drawing on 23 semi-structured interviews conducted between January and March 2025 with community members, traditional leaders, South African National Parks officials, Communal Property Association representatives, and tourism stakeholders. Data were analysed using Braun and Clarke's sixphase thematic analysis framework. Three key themes emerged: governance and participation, unequal benefit-sharing, and sustainability implications. Findings indicate that although the Makuleke community regained ownership of the land through restitution, meaningful decision-making authority remains limited, while concerns over unequal benefit distribution and inadequate transparency persist. Participants perceived these challenges as undermining trust, community support for conservation, and long-term tourism sustainability. The findings suggest that legal ownership alone does not guarantee empowerment or equitable access to tourism benefits. The study concludes that strengthening co-management requires transparent governance, inclusive participation, equitable benefit-sharing mechanisms, and sustained capacity-building initiatives to enhance conservation outcomes and support the long-term sustainability of community-based tourism in protected areas.
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