Exploring Community-Based Wildlife Tourism from an Environmental Justice Perspective: A Case Study of the Wild Olive Tree Camp in South Africa

Abstract Within the legacy of environmental injustices in South Africa, this study explores the role of community-based wildlife tourism (CBWT) in promoting equitable land management. We discuss whether community-based initiatives, specifically related to tourism, can provide lasting structural benefits to local communities. Utilizing the environmental justice (EJ) framework, we conducted a qualitative case study involving semi-structured interviews with 23 participants involving the Wild Olive Tree Camp, a CBWT enterprise in the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Region in South Africa. By analyzing the neoliberal approach to environmental resources for tourism, we demonstrate that while CBWT might benefit local communities in the short term, it risks perpetuating neocolonial structures and dependencies in the long term. This study underscores the need to acknowledge historical trauma stemming from segregation and apartheid and advocates for the restructuring of power imbalances in tourism management while promoting equitable access to knowledge and land rights. This study contributes to the EJ scholarship by contextualizing these issues within the historical reality of the region.