Everything Life Sciences Grade 10

Figure 9.23: Cape Town, South Africa is a world-renowned tourist destination.

Ethical issues

While tourism has great economic potential and gives people access to unique places and

cultures, it can have a negative impact. Sensitive ecosystems, such as wetlands and coasts,

need to be protected so that the balance of organisms can be maintained. Too many visitors

and visitors who are not informed about their impact on the environment, can have a harmful

effect. In the same way tourists need to be sensitive to the cultures and people that they visit.

To protect the plants and animals in the unique ecosystems of South Africa, many areas have

been declared National Parks and have strict rules about how to behave.

In the same way, places that are historically or culturally important have been declared

national heritage sites that are protected and maintained. South Africa is also proud to have

eight UNESCO (The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) sites:

• Cultural
  
  
  • Fossil Hominid Sites of Sterkfontein, Swartkrans, Kromdraai, and Environs (1999)
  
  
  • Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape (2003)
  
  
  • Robben Island (1999)
  
  
  • Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape (2007)
    Mixed
  
  
  
  


• –UKhahlamba / Drakensberg Park (2000)


• Natural
  
  
  • Cape Floral Region Protected Areas (2004)
  
  
  • Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park (1999)
  
  
  • Vredefort Dome (2005)
  
  
  • Table mountain (2011)
  
  
  
  

How to be a responsible ecotourist DUMMY

Many areas of South Africa are protected and to travel to these areas you need to respect the

area and the people that you are visiting. These are a few tips:

• Learn a little about the place you are visiting before you go to know the do’s and don’ts.
  For example, littering is not allowed in any National Park in South Africa.

286 9.8. Ecotourism