SA tourism slowly getting back on its feet, Kruger National Park fully booked

The South African Tourism industry is slowly getting back on its feet and the North West province is no exception. Local travellers are extensively travelling to areas around Rustenburg and Hartebeespoort Dam while overseas travellers are slowly returning to South African shores.

General Manager of Sun City Brett Hoppe says, “I think in a very perverse way, you know Covid led to a rediscovery of South Africa by South Africans and what an exciting thing because we have so many amazing products in South Africa, so many corners of the country that is hidden away with so many niche products.”

The Kruger National Park is fully booked following the past two years of restrictions due to the COVID-19 regulations. The park management is encouraging tourists to book accommodation at lodges near the park because lodges in the park are full.

Only day visitors are allowed into the park.

Tourists have formed long queues at the Kruger Gate.

Kruger Park’s head of hospitality Phuti Namethe says they had been fully booked since mid-December.

He says they still accommodate visitors to the lodges, but only if there are cancellations.

“This time around from the 16 or the 15  of December is our peak season. The whole park is full. So, we might have some few cancellations whereby people book and pay, but they don’t pitch up because of obviously different reasons. But we still accommodate people. We also use a quarter to manage the capacity in terms of people coming in because remember the ablution need to be  in way that they serve the whole community.”

Tourists are warned to be vigilant and more cautious when travelling to the park. The warning follows the killing of the German tourist on the road leading to the park’s Numbi Gate two months ago.

Last week, two security guards deployed to patrol the Numbi Gate road were shot and robbed of their service firearms. The two were sitting in their patrol vehicle when the two suspects ambushed them. The victims were rushed to the nearest hospital for medical attention. More security guards have since been deployed on the Numbi Gate road.