ABSTRACT
Safari hunting has a long history in Africa. It started in the 1800s with the arrival of European traders in the continent (Tlou 1985). However, safari hunting was not perceived as a tourism activity in Africa until the 1960s and 1970s when most African countries obtained independence from European colonial rule. Safari hunting has since become formalised as part of the tourism industry. It is commonly referred to as consumptive tourism of which sport or trophy hunting is the main tourist activity. Although safari hunting is one of the main tourism activities in Eastern and Southern African countries, studies have shown that global participation in safari hunting tourism is on the decline (MacKay and Campbell 2004). This decline is largely a result of the opposition to hunting by anti-hunting groups (Baker 1997; MacKay and Campbell 2004). Anti-hunting groups argue that the international killing of wild animals is not only immoral and abhorrent but it is also one of the means by which the extinction of animal species has been accelerated (Baker 1997). While this may be so, governments in Africa encourage safari hunting because of the assumption that it will contribute to economic development of their countries. Governments view tourism as a rapid means for national and regional development, bringing employment, exchange earnings, balance of payments advantages and important infrastructure developments benefi ting both host populations and visitors (Glasson et al. 1995). Safari hunting is thus an important economic activity desirable for economic reasons in many countries.
