Africa Wild

SANParks makes access cheaper for locals
2017-11-02 18:14 - Kavitha Pillay

Cape Town - South African National Parks (SANParks) is making travel more affordable for locals by implementing new differential conservation fees for Table Mountain National Park gates (TMNP), which will take effect from 1 November 2018.

This means that locals will gain entry to select parks at a cheaper fee than international tourists.

SANParks General Manager for Strategic Tourism Services, Joep Stevens, says the aim is "to increase accessibility to South Africans, especially the sectors of society that do not traditionally visit national parks.”

The decision also comes soon after Table Mountain Cableway announced its new summer sunset hours with festive season specials designed for locals.

Stevens says that the decision "is an effort to align TMNP fees with the rest of SANParks where differential fees were implemented as early as 2003".

"At the time the differential system was implemented, a benchmarking exercise was embarked upon comparing our conservation fees to those of reputable national parks locally, across Africa, and globally with rates that were set accordingly," says Stevens.

Differential conservation fees were not implemented in 2003 because of the complexity of processing visitors at the two key access points - Cape Point and Boulders. This process would have delayed entry into the parks - which are also high volume access points - as visitors have to provide proof of residence and/or nationality.

According to SANParks, a new system is being sourced for these access points with the aim to reduce processing at the gates.

Permit details will be captured online before arrival by guests and operators, and SANParks says that "certain validation would take place for payment to be made before arrival".

New fees at Cape Point and Boulders

As of 1 November 2018 the standard conservation fees for Cape Point will be R300 for international adults, R150 for SADC nationals and R75 for SA residents, while for Boulders it will cost R150, R75 and R38 respectively.

"Besides the new access system currently being sourced, there are upgrades taking place at both facilities and SANParks believes that these two iconic destinations offer excellent value for money," says Stevens.

And they honestly think that more locals are going to visit?

Haven't International tourists always paid more

R150 is not cheap at all?

Its a money thing milking the International visitors . Cape Point and Boulders ( the penguin-colony ) are a very much " must-visits " by Internationals , numerous bus-loads each and every day
Cape Point gets around 250 000 visitors every summer alone , with estimated income of around R33 million , and Boulders are just as popular ...

Very misleading headline. It is comparing it to what an international visitor will pay. The question is, is it value for money and can your every day South African afford those prices?

Well , for a once-off visit , for a local , perhaps compare it to say , having a cup of coffee at Mugg and Bean

Of course , you can use your Wild-card

What bothers me is that I do not really think that Sanparks want to attract the locals for the sake of education, but only for the sake of more income.

any of the locals do not even know that those places exist. Before thinking of the price, make a publicity campaign and then it might work.

Upington is about 250 KM from KTP, but the locals do not even know that the park exists

There is already a higher 'entry' fee for the Cape parks for non-local visitors and has been for at least the past few (5+) years. The difference is often considerable if you do not have a Wild Card. Some parks, such as Cape Point, ask for your ID / passport, but others don't (or didn't when I last visited without a Wild Card). I go to WCNP often when I'm in Darling, and being considered 'local' means that I can afford to visit more often

Lisbeth wrote:What bothers me is that I do not really think that Sanparks want to attract the locals for the sake of education, but only for the sake of more income.

any of the locals do not even know that those places exist. Before thinking of the price, make a publicity campaign and then it might work.

Upington is about 250 KM from KTP, but the locals do not even know that the park exists

Hmmm.....It would be difficult for locals NOT to know about Table Mountain NP
Oh , BTW , this park receives about 2,5 million visitors every year , and the Table Mountain cableway , around 1 million - but this belongs to a private company