The iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority has revealed that it has business opportunities worth millions of rand for travel and tourism service providers.
According to the authority, the business opportunities are available on its website, newspapers, and the national database.
It said these all-inclusive opportunities are expected to benefit not only big businesses but also local communities and SMMEs, some of whom never had access to these opportunities and meaningful participation in the economy of the park.
The advertised activities include service providers for game drives, boat cruises, scuba diving, snorkelling, turtle tours, fishing charters, whale watching, kayaking, canoeing, trails and walks.
The authority said it’s mission is to protect, preserve and present its World Heritage values for current and future generations while benefiting communities living in and adjacent to the park by facilitating optimal tourism and related development.
The iSimangaliso Wetland Park revealed that it hosted a business investment summit in March and the aim was to showcase and present potential tourism product offerings and investment envelopes worth multi-millions of rand to local and international prospective business investors.
“At the investment summit, iSimangaliso managed to provide potential domestic and foreign investors as well as intermediaries with information on tourism investment opportunities within iSimangaliso Wetland Park.
“These investments will help improve the state of this world-renowned top 38 tourism destination in the world and contribute towards the development of communities living in and adjacent to the park in various ways as the iSimangaliso Wetland Park is now South Africa's second largest protected area,” said the iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority.
The authority also said that it’s board of directors approved the commercialisation strategy of the entity, which seeks to generate revenue for the park while addressing the fair presentation and distribution of the tourism investment opportunities that will ensure that the park’s tourism potential is unleashed, and visitor expectations are met and exceeded.
“The main objectives of the commercialisation strategy include revenue generation for the institution, loss minimisation or savings on existing operations, optimal utilisation of under-performing assets, job creation, black economic empowerment, infrastructure development and tourism promotion,” said the authority.
Read the latest issue of IOL Travel digital magazine here.