South Africa’s secret R44 billion weapon

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.

The professors explained that local hunters mostly consist of middle-aged men from provinces like Gauteng. Each local hunter spends an average of $3,594 (R64,435) per season, meaning their collective annual spending tops $718 million (R12.87 billion). 

International hunters, which are often affluent retirees from the United States, spend far more per trip, at an average of $32,663 (R585,553), primarily on game, trophies, accommodation, and daily rates. 

The professors said that while there are fewer international hunters, their spending adds another $169 million (R3.03 billion) to the tally.

However, they said the significance goes beyond raw expenditure. Employing a Social Accounting Matrix (SAM), the researchers found a production multiplier of 2.97.  Simply put, this means that for every $1 spent, an additional $1.97 is generated in economic activity. 

“The ripple effect spreads across agriculture, trade, accommodation, transport, and personal services,” they said.

A booming sector

Another significant economic contribution hunting tourism makes is through employment, with around 95,000 jobs in South Africa dependent on the sector.

The researchers further found that many of these jobs, such as trackers, farm hands and cleaners, require limited formal education. 

Over 60% of these jobs fall within low-skilled categories, underscoring hunting tourism’s outsized impact on South Africa’s most vulnerable workers.

“Hunting tourism’s lifeblood flows into rural economies, often bypassed by mainstream tourism,” they said. 

“Provinces like Limpopo benefit enormously from the inflow, with private game farms – many converted from struggling livestock operations – thriving through sustainable use.”

Notably, they said South Africa’s wildlife population on private land now exceeds that in national parks, and the study argues that hunting revenue has underwritten significant rewilding efforts.

While there are some moral debates over hunting, the study argued that economic survival for many rural communities hinges on this industry.

However, the study also advocated for measured policy regarding this sector while recognising hunting tourism’s proven contribution to jobs, conservation, and poverty alleviation.

In addition, the researchers explained that, contrary to popular belief, regulated hunting creates financial incentives for landowners to protect and repopulate wild species. 

They claimed that, without these incentives, many might revert to traditional farming, leading to habitat loss and diminished biodiversity.

The study also urged policymakers to acknowledge and protect the sector’s critical value chain, calling for legislation around land use, conservation, and hunting quotas grounded in economic realities, not just ideological preferences. 

The researchers warned that missteps could jeopardise both wildlife and livelihoods.

“As international travel resumes, South Africa has found in hunting tourism a niche that not only endures but thrives,” they said. 

“Hunting tourism may not be everyone’s idea of a sustainable economy. Yet, in South Africa’s post-pandemic landscape, it is delivering where others have faltered.” 

“It supports rural economies, funds conservation, and employs tens of thousands, many of them low-income workers with few alternatives.”