2005/2006 - SANParks

2005South African National ParksTOURISM DEVELOPMENTAND MARKETINGo Conservation and its relevance to South Africa;o People-centred Conservation; ando Tourism and its contribution to South Africa’s economy andthe role SANParks plays within this industry.In efforts to attract the emerging market, SANParks participated in theEkasi Travel and Tourism Expo, exhibited in the Oprah Show staged atthe Sandton Convention Centre and took part in the Soccer Expo heldat Nasrec Johannesburg. These initiatives proved very successful aspart of the process of making in-roads into the emerging market.In executing our maintenance strategy aimed at the current audiences,SANParks also participated in the following exhibitions:o Tourism Indaba 2005 in Durbano Outdoor Adventure Expo in Kyalamio The Star Getaway Show in Johannesburgo Holiday Makers Expo in Johannesburgo Cape Expo in Cape Towno Meeting Africa held at the Sandton Convention Centreo Eco-Tourism Confex held at Indaba Hotel in FourwaysDue to the importance of these initiatives, much effort is applied inpre-planning and designing our stands and ensuring the effi cientrunning of these shows and this resulted in SANParks winning thefollowing awards:o Premier Best Stand Award during the Cape Outdoor Expoo Overall Best Stand during the Holiday Maker’s Expoo Overall Premier Best Stand during the Cape ExpoSANParks has since proved its ability to successfully manage thechallenging post-award phase of PPPs including the variation managementthereof. The extensive experience acquired by SANParks with theimplementation of PPPs, the subsequent lessons learnt, skills acquiredand the vital involvement in the National Treasury Tourism PPP Toolkithave resulted in SANParks being considered as a recognised leaderin eco-tourism PPPs.During this fi nancial year, the most notable variation management involvedthe intervention in the restaurant operating agreement in the KNP. Due tounsatisfactory service delivery by the operator, SANParks was confrontedwith no alternative but to terminate the agreement.In cognisance of all stakeholders, SANParks ensured a seamlesshandover to an interim operator with no disruption of service or joblosses. SANParks will follow an appropriate and transparent processas per the guidelines of the National Treasury Regulations to appoint areplacement operator before the end of the next fi nancial year.Of the twelve concession sites, ten are fully operational whilst the twoconcessions in TMNP are busy with their environmental impact analysis.The intervention to the concession fi nancial model in the previous fi nancialyear to allow the concessionaires increased fl exibility with regard to theirpricing resulted in an overall increase in their occupancy levels.The monthly average concession occupancies have improved from 33%in April 2004 to well over 52% in March 2006. Annual averageoccupancies have increased by 10% over this period.In execution of our international marketing that mainly aims at creatingand maintaining presence in major markets, SANParks participated inthe following International Exhibitions:o Vakansie Beurs in Hollando World Travel Market in Londono ITB in GermanyAll these initiatives led to numerous achievements which include:o The overall Tourism statistics in relation to black visitors increasedto 19.4%, with Mapungubwe National Park achieving over60% of black visitors.o Tsitsikamma, Kruger National Park and Augrabies NationalPark also started showing a steady increase in the numberof black visitors.Business DevelopmentFive years have elapsed since SANParks embarked on its CommercialisationStrategy and awarded 12 concession sites and 19 shops, 17 restaurantsand 4 picnic sites to private operators.In addition, SANParks has concluded a few smaller activity-based PublicPrivate Partnerships (PPPs). The organisation outsourced the LangebaanHouseboats in the West Coast National Park and also manages twosignifi cant PPPs at Table Mountain and Cape Point. Note: The table above shows the growth in concession occupanciesfor the past three fi nancial yearsTable: Average Concession Occupancies for 3 (Three) YearsNotable increases in occupancies are from the Jock Safari Lodge andSingita Lebombo where occupancies rose from 44.59% and 34.71%for the fi nancial year ending 2005 to 60.37% and 47.75% respectivelyfor the 2006 fi nancial year.16