**1. Introduction**

The tourism sector is an essential source of foreign exchange earnings, employment, state revenue, nature and environmental conservation, and cultural preservation in both developed and developing nations [1]. To illustrate, this sector accounted for 10.3% of the global Gross Domestic Product (GDP), 29% of global service exports, and 10.4% of

employment security in [2, 3]. Despite being subject to socio-political and socio-economic instability, African regions are prominent tourist destinations due to their natural resources and scenic landscapes. Tourism thus accounted for US\$168.5 billion in African states' revenue, 2.2% towards their GDP growth, and 24.6 million job opportunities on the continent during 2019 [3]. Consequently, the development and sustainability of NBT have been embraced by numerous stakeholders and practitioners involved in the tourism industry [4]. Sustainability refers to development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs [5]. According to Zeitlin and Burr [6], NBT is when tourists travel to nature-based areas for recreational purposes, either because of their uniqueness or tourists' inclination to visit them. Its activities relate mainly to sustainable tourism and satisfying the needs of tourists who seek to relax, discover, learn, and escape to nature [7]. Sustainable tourism refers to the development of tourism activities that meet the needs of the current generation of tourists as well as those of indigenous people, while specific attention is also given to the conservation and improvement of resources for future tourism development [8]. In this context, NBT remains among the most lucrative forms of tourism as many people travel frequently to various tourist destinations in the quest to experience scenic beauty and enjoy natural resources [2, 3]. However, as it depends largely on human mobility to thrive, NBT is highly susceptible to unprecedented disruptions caused by hazardous global phenomena [9]. For example, the advent of global infectious pandemics such as the Spanish flu (1918 to 1919), the Asian flu (1957), the Hong Kong flu (1968), the Severe Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) (2002 to 2003), and COVID-19 (2019–2021) has adversely impacted NBT and its related sectors [10, 11]. On 30 January 2020, COVID-19 was officially declared by WHO as a global pandemic due to the severe threat it posed to world-wide socio-economic spaces [12].

The pandemic also savagely impacted sectors that largely depend on NBT for economic stimulation such as agriculture, manufacturing, and construction [13]. Its adverse cross-sectoral economic impact was caused mainly by stringent restrictions by state governments the world over to contain its spread and its associated high morbidity and mortality rates. This involved the immediate closure of international borders, grounding of aeroplanes, and restricted human mobility [14]. Empirical findings indicate that emerging infectious diseases and zoonotic spillover are spread mainly by human activities such as travelling and interaction [15, 16]. Consequently, international tourism came to a halt as about 75% of all international borders were completely closed in May 2020 [2]. The impact of the restrictions resulted in about 440 million fewer international tourist arrivals between January and June 2020 [2]. Economic losses due to the pandemic surpassed five times those of the global economic and financial crisis of 2008/2009 [2]. In a best-case scenario, it is estimated that about 7.6 million jobs were lost and that the GDP declined by US\$53 billion in 2020, which was a 30% decline compared to 2019. Moreover, there was a 36% decline in international and a 22% decline in domestic tourist arrivals [3]. Nonetheless, empirical evidence [17–19] reveals that unique tourism recovery action plans were developed and have been implemented in some prominent tourist destinations in China, England, and America as a strategy for sustainable tourism activities amid and after this global crisis.

Empirical studies [20, 21] also show that some African countries, under the auspices of WHO, have built resilient socio-economies by effectively implementing appropriate strategies. Although much attention has been paid to the impact of COVID-19 on NBT, there is a paucity of research on the strategies for sustaining this type of tourism amid hazardous global phenomena, especially in developing nations. Adopting a literature synthesis approach (LSA), this chapter aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the strategies *Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Strategies for Sustaining Nature-Based Tourism amid Global… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.108782*

that were implement for sustaining NBT amid global health crises. The theoretical basis upon which the concept of 'sustainable NBT amid global health crisis' is predicated is presented. The typologies of NBT, their interrelatedness, and factors that influence and sustain NBT amid global health crises are also explored. Concluding remarks based on the literary findings as aligned with the theoretical basis of this investigation are offered. The chapter is concluded with recommendations for future research to address the identified gaps in the existing literature regarding the phenomenon under discussion.
