Although historically levels of tourism in the
area have remained low enough to enable management to
focus
on other more urgent aspects of management, such
as security operations, this is no longer the case. In
recent
years, visitation to the MMNR has dramatically
increased, as has the pressure for tourism facility
developments
within the Reserve. As a result, the proactive
management of tourism is now essential to ensure
the
maintenance of a high quality visitor experience,
and that tourism developments and use are not
undermining
the area’s ecological integrity. Although
the Zonation and Visitor Use Scheme and the Tourism
Management
Programme clearly set out the desired future state
of tourism in the MMNR, and the steps
management
needs to take to get there, neither the CCN or
CCTM sections of the Reserve currently have a
dedicated senior officer who is responsible for
tourism management, and who can spearhead the
implementation
of these vital aspects of the plan. Through this
management action, senior officers who will head
the
new MMNR tourism units will either be designated
from the existing staff establishment, or recruited
if
there is no one suitable within the current staff
establishment. These officers will need to liaise both
with
each other, and with their line managers to ensure
the coordinated implementation of both the
Tourism
Programme, and the zonation prescriptions. These
officers will be also be responsible for overseeing the
activities
of other staff recruited to the MMNR Tourism Units
(such as the Ticket Inspection Units and
specialist
visitor handling staff, discussed under Actions
2.3 and 4.2 of the Tourism Management
Programme).
