Exploring the 30-year eco-tourism and commercialisation journey of SanParks

South African National Parks (SanParks) celebrated its 30th anniversary at Africa’s Travel Indaba in Durban with a panel discussion on sustainable eco-tourism and business growth through partnerships. The event highlighted SanParks’ evolution as a leading conservation agency and its commitment to responsible tourism.

The panel discussion, titled “Celebrating 30 Years of Sustainable Eco-Tourism and Business Growth Through Partnerships,” focused on the organization’s journey towards sustainable eco-tourism. Pam Yako, chairperson of the SanParks board, outlined the organization’s response to Cabinet directives in 2000, which led to the establishment of the SanParks Commercialisation Strategy. This strategy focuses on partnering with the private sector to leverage tourism revenue for the protection of biodiversity.

SanParks has expanded its partnerships and projects over the years, with 63 PPP projects in its portfolio. These partnerships have resulted in increased market segmentation, product differentiation, and economic activity within the parks. The implementation of the Commercialisation Strategy has contributed significantly to SanParks’ tourism revenues, with a total contribution of R1,927bn over 24 years.

Furthermore, SanParks’ PPP contracts include BBBEE scorecard targets to promote ownership by black individuals and enterprises. As part of the celebration at Africa’s Travel Indaba, a joint venture was announced for the management of a 125-room Skukuza Safari Lodge and Nombolo Mdluli Conference Centre at Kruger National Park, showcasing the organization’s commitment to diversity and inclusion in the tourism industry.

Overall, SanParks’ 30th-anniversary celebration highlighted the organization’s success in sustainable eco-tourism and business growth through partnerships, setting a positive example for conservation agencies and the tourism industry as a whole.