National economic
importance
The MMNR is one of the best known and most visited
protected areas in Africa, and the area generates
significant economic benefits for the two parent county
councils through visitor entrance fees and
accommodation leases. However, as a result of the MMNR’s
international reputation as one of the best wildlife
viewing areas in Africa, the MMNR is also a vital driver
for tourism at the national level. The Reserve is one of
the primary reasons that a significant number of
visitors come to Kenya (rather than an increasing variety
of other beach or wildlife destinations), and
provides a unique selling point around which businesses can
promote and package visits to other protected areas and
accommodation facilities across the country. As a
result, the MMNR is pivotal in supporting and sustaining
the economic benefits that the country as a whole
receives from tourism.
Local economic benefits
Local communities living around the MMNR also
derive significant benefits from the MMNR. At one
level, this includes the funds remitted to the parent
councils from the Reserve, which are used to support their
development activities across both Trans Mara and Narok
districts, and a percentage of which is also
allocated to communities living adjacent to the area, or who
support wildlife on their lands. In addition, and more
directly, local community members can also benefit through
improved employment opportunities with
tourism enterprises either within or around the Reserve,
and are also employed by Reserve management
wherever possible. Community members also benefit from the
large numbers of visitors to the Reserve
through cultural tourism initiatives and other
tourism-based enterprises.
Security
Primarily due its close proximity to the
international border, areas around the Reserve remain vulnerable
to a number of illegal activities. Although in the
past this problem has extended along the entire border area
and well into the CCN section of the Reserve, it is
currently only a major problem in Trans Mara, where
the stealing of cattle by rustlers from across the
border is the most serious reoccurring issue. MMNR
management has however helped to reduce this problem by
tracking and engaging with thieves when they try
to escape through the Mara Triangle with their stolen
cattle. In addition, MMNR managers have also
worked with tourism facilities in the wider ecosystem to
help track and apprehend thieves. These efforts have
contributed to the general improvements in security that the
area has experienced, and enhanced the safety
and wellbeing of local residents going about their
daily activities.
Roads
MMNR management allocates a significant proportion
of its budget to the maintenance of roads within
the area, and in addition they also lobby and raise
awareness in the parent councils and with central
government when improvements are needed to major access roads
in the greater ecosystem. Although the priority of
area managers is to ensure that transportation
infrastructure is sufficient to support visitor use and MMNR
management operations, the presence of the Reserve, and the
continuing improvements that managers make
to roads, both within and immediately beyond the MMNR
boundaries, have significantly improved access
and communication for local
residents.
