Mearns, Kevin2016-06-152016-06-152012Mearns, K. (2012). Community-based tourism and peace parks benefit local communities through conservation in Southern Africa. Acta Academica, 44(2), 70-87.0587-2405 (print)2415-0479 (online)http://hdl.handle.net/11660/2952English: Community-based tourism is regarded as a potential driver of economic development for rural communities in close proximity to peace parks. The long-term success of peace parks in Southern Africa is only possible if local communities that live within or adjacent to peace parks receive significant benefits. Community-based tourism provides the means whereby such local communities may receive these benefits. This article establishes the spatial distribution of community-based tourism ventures in Southern Africa in relation to the proposed peace parks. A high degree of spatial association was found to exist between community-based tourism ventures and the proposed peace parks.Afrikaans: Gemeenskapsgebaseerde toerisme word beskou as ’n potensiële dryfveer vir ekonomiese ontwikkeling van landelike gemeenskappe wat naby vredesparke geleë is. Die langtermyn sukses van vredesparke is alleenlik moontlik as nabygeleë gemeenskappe voordeel daaruit trek. Gemeenskapsgebasseerde toerisme verskaf die potensiaal om hierdie gemeenskappe te bevoordeel. Hierdie artikel doen verslag oor ’n studie wat onderneem is om die ruimtelike verspreiding van Suider-Afrikaanse gemeenskapsgebasserde toerisme-ondernemings in verhouding met die voorgestelde oorgrensparke vas te stel. ’n Hoë vlak van ruimtelike verband tussen gemeenskapsgebasserde toerisme-ondernemings en die voorgestelde en huidige oorgrensparke is bevind.enCommunity-based tourismRural communitiesPeace parksArticleUniversity of the Free State