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Delegates attending the Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF) in Nairobi on Wednesday declared poaching to be the greatest threat to Africa's tourism industry and branded poachers as the continent's No.1 public enemy.
The participants from major hotel brands who joined the Kenyan government and conservation lobbies to re-energize the fight against this menace declared their support towards anti-poaching campaign in the hotspots of East and Central Africa.
"Poaching is a global problem that requires global solution. In Tanzania alone, we are losing 30 elephants to poachers every day and if this menace is not phased out, the country will lose all elephants in the next 15 years," Tanzania Deputy Minister for Natural resources and Tourism, Lazaro Nyalandu told the meeting.
He appealed to governments in East and Central Africa to coordinate efforts to stamp out illegal trade in wildlife products.
High demand for ivory and rhino horn among the wealthy in the emerging economies has fuelled wildlife poaching in Africa.
Tourism stakeholders regretted that wildlife poaching threatens the sustainability of a sector that is a leading source of foreign exchange earnings in many African countries.
"There is no tourism in Africa without wildlife and that is why governments should enhance the protection of this heritage. We must raise awareness on the threats to wildlife and punish offenders," Nyalandu told delegates attending the second Africa Hotel Investment Forum.
He poachers are so sophisticated that require a military response and warned that if their activities are not stamped out, the continent will have lost all elephants in 10-15 years.
"We want to see our African neighbors taking a stand with us, pressurizing the countries where the poachers' clients live to stamp out this barbaric trade," he said.
The value of ivory and rhino horn continues to rise rapidly, as does the demand for 'wildlife products'.
Across Africa, one elephant is being killed every 15 minutes for their tusks. This continued illegal trade will lead to the species' extinction by 2025.The hotel and tourism industry's concern goes well beyond statements.
About 5 percent of all AHIF revenues are being given to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, (DSWT) which looks after orphaned baby elephants and rhinos, including those whose parents have been butchered by poachers, and it has several anti poaching initiatives.
Participants said wildlife is the reason why tourists come to Africa, noting that as each herd is decimated, so too is the potential employment of thousands of people, most of whom are on low incomes.
Tourism ministers from Kenya, Uganda and Mozambique attending the meeting also declared their support towards anti-poaching campaigns in Africa, saying poaching is not just about killing animals; it's about destroying livelihoods.
The hotel and travel industry is concerned about escalating wildlife crimes in Africa.
Executives from global hotel brands including the Marriot, International Hotel Group and Carlson Rezidor urged strong public private partnership to revitalize the fight against wildlife poaching in Africa.
"Wildlife is the reason why tourists come to Africa. As each herd is decimated, so too is the potential employment of thousands of people who are mainly in the lower income segment. Poaching is not just about killing of animals, it is about destroying livelihoods," hotel executives said in a joint statement
Organizers of the Africa Hotel Investment Forum announced that five percent of the revenue generated in the high powered meeting will be given to Kenya's elephant conservation lobby, David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (DSWT).
The hospitality industry can support African governments to implement a range of anti-poaching measures including education, awareness and policing of wildlife habitats.
"Africa is so huge and her lengthy borders are difficult to police. The answer has to be action at the point of demand to educate consumers of ivory and rhino horn about the damage being caused by their desires," said Vice President for African and Indian Ocean Islands, Carlson Rezidor, Andrew McLachlan.
Nick van Marken, the leader of Deloitte's international Travel, Hospitality and Leisure practice said poachers are using automatic weapons to slaughter entire herds and then hack off the tusks and horns.
"Rhino horn is ground down in Africa and then smuggled out. Poaching in Africa is happening on an industrial scale. Wildlife is part of Africa's natural infrastructure - remove it, and one of the primary reasons for visiting the continent will disappear. It's time for the industry to step up and speak out," Marken said.
With tourism playing such a critical part in Kenya's economy and that of other countries in the region, as well as meeting the urgent need for job creation, the high international demand for ivory and rhino hornand its attendant driving of poaching - is in direct conflict with the hopes of millions of Africans and their governments.
They said poaching contributes to general insecurity and criminality and is a potential source of financing for terrorists and militias that target civilians as a matter of course in conflict-torn countries in the region.
According to delegates, whilst nobody will say so publicly, for fear of repercussions, the suspicion is that ground rhino horn is leaving Africa in diplomatic bags.
To combat the poachers' devastating activities, DSWT currently runs eight fully-equipped Anti-Poaching and De-Snaring Units working together with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), in protecting the greater Tsavo Conservation Area.
These frontline teams, accompanied by armed KWS Rangers, are equipped with vehicles, camping equipment, radios, GPS's and cameras, patrolling daily to combat elephant and rhino poaching as well as the threat of bush meat snaring.
DSWT's Anti-Poaching Teams have removed over 125,000 snares since inception in the Tsavo Conservation Area.
Angela Sheldrick of DSWT said the conservationists action is only possible thanks to donors around the world, helping the Trust combat the fight against poachers.
"The 13,000-15,000 U.S. dollars donated through this event will make a huge difference to our current Anti-Poaching initiatives, helping us to continue to patrol poaching 'hot-spots' and deploying our Rangers efficiently and successfully with the correct equipment,"Sheldricksaid.
