What is the situation/progress with the proposed hotels in Kruger?

[Sprocky]

2013-07-15 08:51

Skukuza - Two high-end hotels are in the pipeline for construction in the Kruger National Park.

Tourism Update reports that one will be established by international hotel group, Rezidor, and the other by SANParks itself in a bid to diversify its product offering. The two hotels will be known as Rezidor's Radisson Blu Safari Resort and SANParks' Skukuza Conference Lodge.

Andrew McLachlan, Rezidor's vice president Africa and Indian Ocean Islands, told Tourism Update that the Safari Resort will feature 120 rooms, a restaurant, a boma area, a cigar bar and a spa among other things. It will be located approximately 10km from the Malelane gate.

The Skukuza Conference Lodge is still in early planning stages, but the current proposal suggests that it will have 120 rooms and is estimated to cost in the region of R164m.

According to Glenn Phillips, SANParks Managing Executive: Tourism and Marketing, the addition of these hotels formed part of Kruger's commercialization strategy and would assist in diversifying the park's product offering.

Phillips said that there was no reason to believe that the developments would have a negative impact on the park's biodiversity. He added that the developments would create between 600 and 700 jobs from conceptualization to construction.

[Sprocky]

Kruger to get two high end hotels
2013-07-15 08:51

Skukuza - Two high-end hotels are in the pipeline for construction in the Kruger National Park.

Tourism Update reports that one will be established by international hotel group, Rezidor, and the other by SANParks itself in a bid to diversify its product offering. The two hotels will be known as Rezidor's Radisson Blu Safari Resort and SANParks' Skukuza Conference Lodge.

Andrew McLachlan, Rezidor's vice president Africa and Indian Ocean Islands, told Tourism Update that the Safari Resort will feature 120 rooms, a restaurant, a boma area, a cigar bar and a spa among other things. It will be located approximately 10km from the Malelane gate.

The Skukuza Conference Lodge is still in early planning stages, but the current proposal suggests that it will have 120 rooms and is estimated to cost in the region of R164m.

According to Glenn Phillips, SANParks Managing Executive: Tourism and Marketing, the addition of these hotels formed part of Kruger's commercialization strategy and would assist in diversifying the park's product offering.

Phillips said that there was no reason to believe that the developments would have a negative impact on the park's biodiversity. He added that the developments would create between 600 and 700 jobs from conceptualization to construction.

What is your take on the proposed hotels for the Kruger Park? Will it spoil the unique atmosphere or will they add to the magic? Tell us in the comment section below or send us your thoughts to info@news24travel.com

[Richprins]

Incredibly important for as many of us to reply to them asap!

[Toko]

From the original article:

Tourism Update July 13

[Richprins]

Notice, nothing is happening in Malelane as rezoning has not yet been approved.

Come on guys...email news24...they only keep these things open for 24 hours or so. Western noses are important here!

info@news24travel.com

[Toko]

Already done

[Richprins]

This is what I sent:



There is massive opposition to the overcommercialisation of Kruger that has increased over the last three years, including the hotels mentioned in your article today.

So much so that opponents, numbering in their hundreds, have resorted to starting internet petitions, engaging with the media (eg. M&G, Beeld, Groen, Carte Blanche etc.), engaging with the Parliamentary Standing Portfolio Committee on Conservation, and even creating a website specifically aimed at monitoring and exposing questionable commercialisation and development plans by South African National Parks: sagr.co.za

Kruger Park suffers from an increasing tourist congestion problem, especiallly in the Southern District, leading to overuse of visitor facilities including shops, entrance gates, roads, hides, lookout points and picnic spots.

This was recognised, at least in part, when government refused to allow permission for the building of the MalelaneSafari Lodge, citing poor planning regarding the effects of this initiative regarding the environment. While SANParks continue to resubmit plans under the increasingly political ambit of a controvertial and unilaterally-imposed Peripheral Development Zonation plan, and a demand for Parks to pay their way to appease neighbouring communities and take Conservation to a "modern level", the project remains in limbo 4 years later, for good reason.

Sinister money-grabbing initiatives such as the retention of "temporarily increased" gate quotas for day visitors instituted for the 2010 Soccer World Cup, hints that "self-drive tourism" should be replaced by Park-operated game drive vehicles in the long term, further hotel/lodge developments along the borders of Kruger, the tendering for Fast-food Franchises to replace the ailing restaurant companies operating in camps....even a new justification for mass-burning of part of the Malelane area that includes "lack of visibility" for tourists as part of the scientific reasoning for burning...all create great cause for concern as to whether Kruger are holding their internationally respected core role of Nature Conservation paramount.

It is also of major concern that should Kruger's "bread and butter" regular clientelle begin to cast their eyes elsewhere and visitor funds decrease, it would have a massive ripple effect on the tourism economies of Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces, and on SA as a whole, especially regarding an increasingly discerning international market.

[Twigga]

Kruger to get two high end hotels
2013-07-15 08:51

What is your take on the proposed hotels for the Kruger Park? Will it spoil the unique atmosphere or will they add to the magic? Tell us in the comment section below or send us your thoughts to info@news24travel.com

We must flood them with our thoughts on this issue, come on Greenville my email being delivered as we speak.

[Flutterby]

Also done!

[H. erectus]

Currently Sanparks have employed 2 different organizations
with reference too EIA's.-

1. The Malelane hotel project and
2. The Skukuza hotel project.

I have been in contact with both participating and have been
placed on their IEP's list till further notice!!

To date seemingly very disappointing!.....

Regarding lodges earmarked and in the process of establishment -
contractors will be honored a deal, supporting the Conference center.
A meeting was held and mention made on this forum. With all due
respect to said contractor - I'm in the same game and know the
difficulties. Yet.......


There are many lodges that go down without question, inside our
parks!