South African National Parks has significantly improved tourist facilities and services throughout the country, as a result of a R65 million loan from the Industrial Development Corporation.

Chief Executive Officer Mavuso Msimang told a media briefing in the Kruger National Park on Wednesday that the new standards being set throughout the country were already attracting more local and foreign visitors. This had brought an accompanying increase in tourism revenue.

Msimang released details of some of the recent development projects, and pointed out that the loan would be repaid over a period of 15 years by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism.

A large slice of the available funding had been invested in the upgrading of facilities at Lower Sabie, Pretoriuskop, Tamboti and Crocodile Bridge, in the Kruger national Park.

One of the most striking facilities was the R10,5 million complex recently opened to the public at the Lower Sabie Camp. The complex includes a new reception, shop and restaurant, as well as a deck overlooking the Sabie River.

Facilities at the Kgalagadi, Tsitsikama, Karoo, Cape Peninsula and Addo Elephant national parks also received a facelift.

Kruger National Park Director David Mabunda said the Improvements at Lower Sabie were long overdue, as this camp had only been upgraded once since its inception in 1933.

"I am pleased to be associated with the present programme of commercialisation in the park. The tourism market is very competitive, and therefore we cannot afford to put visitors in inferior accommodation units, or to offer them meals in dingy surroundings," he added.

Mabunda welcomed the allocation of tenders to local contractors, in the construction of the Lower Sabie complex. He said the park management would pursue its transformation policy, to the advantage of communities living in areas adjoining the park.

"Transformation is not simply a matter of replacing whites with blacks. It means a change of mindset, the forging of new relationships, and the implementation of new business concepts", he explained.

Chief Executive Officer Mavuso Msimang told a media briefing in the Kruger National Park on Wednesday that the new standards being set throughout the country were already attracting more local and foreign visitors. This had brought an accompanying increase in tourism revenue.

Msimang released details of some of the recent development projects, and pointed out that the loan would be repaid over a period of 15 years by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism.

A large slice of the available funding had been invested in the upgrading of facilities at Lower Sabie, Pretoriuskop, Tamboti and Crocodile Bridge, in the Kruger national Park.

One of the most striking facilities was the R10,5 million complex recently opened to the public at the Lower Sabie Camp. The complex includes a new reception, shop and restaurant, as well as a deck overlooking the Sabie River.

Facilities at the Kgalagadi, Tsitsikama, Karoo, Cape Peninsula and Addo Elephant national parks also received a facelift.

Kruger National Park Director David Mabunda said the Improvements at Lower Sabie were long overdue, as this camp had only been upgraded once since its inception in 1933.

"I am pleased to be associated with the present programme of commercialisation in the park. The tourism market is very competitive, and therefore we cannot afford to put visitors in inferior accommodation units, or to offer them meals in dingy surroundings," he added.

Mabunda welcomed the allocation of tenders to local contractors, in the construction of the Lower Sabie complex. He said the park management would pursue its transformation policy, to the advantage of communities living in areas adjoining the park.

"Transformation is not simply a matter of replacing whites with blacks. It means a change of mindset, the forging of new relationships, and the implementation of new business concepts", he explained.