A concession gives the operator the exclusive rights to make the area private, beyond the access of the general public. Vast tracts of the most sort after wildlife areas are divided up into manageable blocks and allocated into concessions for private and commercial use.
Private companies are awarded the privilege of operating luxury safari establishments and exclusive activities, based on guidelines set out in the usage agreement. Concessionaires generate direct benefits to under-funded park management, biodiversity conservation, “jobs to communities” and a profitable model with win-win formula for all.
Travel concessions in protected areas are a remarkably sustainable means for poverty alleviation and assist local communities to benefit from the spin off from sharing their natural resources.
The process of securing a concession may be granted mainly by way of a tender or auction. Outsourcing the running of visitor services to the private sector, works on the notion that they will operate efficiently and ethically, attracting a broader clientele with their complementing services.
Private concessions add an extra level of protection for wildlife areas by way of the activities which bring in extra eyes to reduce poaching and other security risks. Increasing the economic value of protected areas demonstrates how development and conservation can coexist and promote continued protection of an area from other less-sustainable activities.
The future of nature tourism in Africa depends of community, state and private sector strategic partnerships. Poorly managed land deteriorates quickly without an effective land stewardship program. Private Safari Concessions offer remote logistical infrastructure to afford guests some of the best wildlife encounters in Africa.
