Business View Oceania - June 2024

has led to the local community feeling crowded out and their lifestyle being impacted. We try to find a balance that benefits all stakeholders, including the local residents, the tourists, and most importantly, the wildlife.” ENGAGING WITH MEMBERS AND THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY WTA actively engages its members through bi- monthly newsletters, biennial conferences, and various workshops and webinars. Reports from these events are publicly available on the WTA website, providing valuable resources for members and non- members. Green notes,“Our last conference in November 2022 focused on how wildlife tourism can assist wildlife. We had diverse participants and produced a detailed 60-page report available for free on our website. We also maintain a comprehensive list of academic literature and guidelines for wildlife tourism, aiming to make these accessible to everyone, from academics to local guides.” One of WTA’s significant international efforts is its collaboration with the IUCN’s TAPAs (Tourism and Protected Areas) Biodiversity Working Group. Green, who chairs this group, describes their goal of collating wildlife guidelines worldwide. “Wildlife guidelines are not a one-size-fits-all. What works for gorillas and chimpanzees differs from what will work for baboons or vervet monkeys.We aim to make these guidelines widely available, promoting them globally on social media and through global tourism organizations.” CITIZEN SCIENCE A cornerstone of WTA’s approach is involving the community and tourists in conservation efforts. This includes promoting citizen science projects where tourists can contribute to data collection and wildlife monitoring. Community involvement extends beyond just tourists. WTA works closely with local communities to ensure that wildlife tourism benefits them economically and socially.This includes training local guides, promoting local crafts, and encouraging the 59 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA VOLUME 06, ISSUE 06 WI LDL I FE TOURISM AUSTRAL IA