Big changes are coming at South African National Parks (SANParks) where contract changes will be made and new products introduced.

Key concessionaire contracts such as the Table Mountain Cable Car, Cape Point and the six lodges in the renowned Kruger National Park will become available over the next three to five years, with a pipeline of over 100 new tourism investment opportunities to be released for tender over the next ten years.

Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Barbara Creecy who led the SANParks 2022 Tourism summit on March 31, said the new opportunities would prompt economic recovery for communities living adjacent to the Kruger National Park.

“The tourism industry is not only labour intensive and, therefore, a major job creator when it thrives, it is also an industry that has one of the highest multiplier effects, contributing both directly and indirectly to several other primary and secondary sectors in its value chain. The centrality of the tourism sector in catalysing job creation has to be more prominent now than ever. 

“In some areas [of the country], national parks serve as the only means of economic activity and employment. SANParks employs over 4 000 employees and its concessionaires a further 2 100 employees. Over 80% of the employees are recruited from neighbouring communities,“ she said.

Over the last 20 years, SANParks has developed a portfolio of 60 public-private partnership (PPP) projects in the tourism sector, ranging from accommodation, retail, restaurants and activities.

“Our partnerships with various private-sector entities have been pivotal in enhancing the experience of tourists who visit our parks. It is through these partnerships that we have been able to provide an array of facilities that are vital to an enriched tourist experience,” said SANPark’s Rey Thakuli.

“This pipeline of new PPP opportunities, which will be implemented over the next ten years, aims to fill major product gaps to widen the appeal of the parks to new markets, while ensuring the principal drawcards to our parks are not diluted and continue to hold appeal for our loyal traditional markets,” she added.