The East African Wild Life Society (EAWLS) came into being in 1961 through a merger of the Kenya and Tanzania Wild Life Societies (both formed in 1956) and wildlife enthusiasts from Uganda. EAWLS was established as a membership organisation as reflected in its Constitution and is also registered as a Non–Governmental Organisation (NGO) under the NGO Act of Kenya of 1990.

EAWLS has been at the forefront of efforts to protect endangered, rare or threatened species and habitats in East Africa. The Society realises the need for stakeholders in tourism and conservation  to come together, providing a forum for the regional community to understand and review how to achieve sustainable environmental management and community benefits through tourism. The vision of such a forum would be to come up with policy and best practice recommendations that would support both these sectors.

East African region is fraught with numerous environmental problems such as deforestation and desertification, loss of biodiversity, habitat loss, pollution, invasive species, expansion of monocultural crops, high population growth and pervasive poverty.