Photographic tourism is widely thought to present a significant opportunity for generating economic benefits in Namibia's wildlife-rich and scenic communal areas. Over the last decade, a limited number of tourism enterprises have emerged in such areas, often in the form of joint ventures between local communities and the private sector. However, while rural people have benefited from these enterprises, there is a widespread view that the tourism potential of the communal areas remains underexploited and that more could be done to encourage beneficial linkages between rural communities and tourism businesses operating on their land1. From experience gained elsewhere, it would appear that partnerships between private sector operators and communities can be a very effective way of accelerating rural economic development and bringing local people into the tourism industry.