In this episode of I Am Tourism, we sit down with Vincent “Vince” Shacks — environmental scientist turned Group Head of Impact at Wilderness.

Vince didn’t begin in hospitality. He began in the bush, studying Nile crocodiles in Botswana. Today, he’s helping steer one of Africa’s most iconic safari brands toward something bigger than sustainability: measurable impact.

And sometimes, that impact starts in the kitchen. When lions in northern Botswana began clashing with cattle farmers, the issue wasn’t just conservation — it was livelihoods. Instead of focusing only on wildlife management, Vince and his team looked at something closer to home: the food being served in their camps.

Could procurement become a conservation tool? By shifting how beef is sourced — creating economic incentives that reward farmers who protect wildlife — Wilderness began linking what’s plated in camp to what survives in the wild.

It’s a powerful example of the conservation economy in action: where tourism revenue, local supply chains, and wildlife protection are intentionally connected.

This episode explores how thinking beyond your fence line — and even beyond your game drives — can unlock real, lasting change.

Key Takeaways:  

• “Your supply chain can be one of your strongest conservation tools.”  
•  “If conservation doesn’t work economically for communities, it won’t work at all.”  
•  “Impact means measuring whether you’ve truly moved the needle.”