The potential for monopoly rents from Etosha National Park, Namibia

Abstract

This paper reports on a survey carried out among visitors to Etosha, Namibia, in May 2002. We use the contingent valuation method to estimate foreign tourists’ willingness to pay for visiting the park. We find that the Namibian government could raise park fees substantially and increase profits from foreign tourists by approximately N$ 2,3 million per year. If fees were raised in collusion with other governments, in order to avoid competition between countries in the region, profits could presumably be increased even further. However, the survey used to collect data on tourists’ willingness to pay also indicated dissatisfaction with current management of in-park resorts, and improved management of these resorts would probably be crucial for the success of any new tariff scheme.