Thoughts on the new Sanparks Vision & Mission statements

[Richprins]

Right, a look at the document...finally got my Wild Magazine!

There are no less than 11 references to the need for self-generated funding...the people at the agency would make excellent teachers regarding brainwashing...which is I guess what teachers do much of the time!

1. Secondly it all boils down to funding. Conservation is an expensive business, and
if it were not for tourists like us paying for the privilege to visit the National Parks
and taking part in the various activities on offer, there would not be enough money
to run and maintain the integrity of the National Parks system.
Currently it costs over a billion rand annually to run the National Parks effectively,
and over 80% of the funding is self-generated.


2. But even success comes with a price tag.
The fact is, the National Parks face a challenging
road. Expansion of facilities has been
impressive, but has brought significant costs
in its wake.


3. Natural disasters like fire and floods have
wreaked havoc and contributed to the bleak
overall picture of escalating costs.


4. SANParks already generates
85% of its own revenue. As changing
national priorities keep shrinking what the
State contributes, Parks will increasingly have
to be self-reliant.


5. ONLY 5 National parks make a profit

6. government funding for the
Parks has also changed.
Government is moving away from day-today
operational funding into once-off, projectbased
grant funding. This means that the government
invests in projects that then have to
be self-sustaining in terms of operational costs,

7. Helping tourism work harder Some of the notable achievements of
the tourism division during the last decade include the implementation of:
A new daily conservation fee structure

8. Differential pricing for different Parks, and local and international visitors.

9. This can include branding and merchandising – whole new ways of generating income.

10. But to do this, funds are needed. To manage the financial shortfall .

11. Helping to fund our Parks by visiting them is an investment

[H. erectus]

I beg your dearest pardon unto me but why should Sanparks
adopt such a large scale money making racket attitude???

They forever seem to believe themselves into that realm of
moneymaking leisure time.,..

When at the end of everyday they are common conservationists
with all due respect, to that standing in life!!!!!

A proper purpose in life cannot be squished and demanded by a
mere vision and mission statement etc.

Sanparks the sooner,...

[Richprins]

Agreed, H.!

Lots more to come...it gets scarier!

[Richprins]

SANParks claim poverty and a lack of financial support from .gov...

Toko found this:

Environmental Affairs
Programme 5: Biodiversity and Conservation



Expenditure trends

Expenditure increased between 2009/10 and 2012/13 due to additional funding to the South African National Biodiversity Institute to ensure that the institute is able to deliver on its mandate; and to South African National Parks to improve and maintain critical infrastructure under its control. This trend is set to continue over the MTEF period. Additional allocations over the MTEF period include: R150 million to South African National Biodiversity Institute for the upgrade of infrastructure at the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden education centre, R75 million to South African National Parks for combatting rhino poaching, and R70 million to iSimangaliso Wetlands Park Authority for infrastructure upgrades.

from here: Treasury: National Budget 2013


You will see that .gov actually increased its subsidy in the 2010-11 bookyear. It did drop after that, I think a lot to do with confusion regarding SP's changing financial statements and a new auditor in 2012.. ... but increased dramatically for 2012/13 after a request for rhino help.

So they must just ask!

Treasury understands the bigger picture regarding the income value of Kruger...I'm sure about that!

[Richprins]

Right!

Back to the 2022 plan:

Almost every 2-page spread has a buildup to create a cozy feeling for the reader, then a little zinger at the end...very clever!


For example:

Way, way back
Tourism has been an intrinsic part of our National Parks right from the beginning. Almost a century ago it
already became clear that visitors were critical to the continued existence of our natural heritage. A visionary 1918 report concluded that wildlife conservation was as important to animals as to people’s experience of it.
Finding the balance had its rocky patches. Over the decades visitors’ expectations have also changed dramatically. Even as late as the 1950s management (and visitors!) thought a bed, clean ablution blocks and a campfire were enough to fulfill everyone’s “cultural and spiritual needs”. In fact, management hoped that “simple facilities would discourage tourists who were not genuine nature lovers”.


After the ambiguous introductory remark by Phillips that "Some decisions have been good. Others, with the benefit of hindsight, not so good", we have these "decisions":

Debates
Conflicting views about tourism and amenities are nothing new. In the first few decades of Kruger’s history, issues now regarded as beneficial to conservation and essential for visitors often triggered heated debate.

Tarred roads. Proposals to tar the roads were resisted till the 1960s when management finally accepted that upkeep of the roads was becoming expensive, while the dust was detrimental to plants and wildlife. The first road was tarred in 1961 – a stretch of one mile from Skukuza rest camp

Electricity. Even this was rejected as a bad idea for some time. “In the Park people must sit outside and chat or sit at a fire and dream rather than lie in bed and read.” (Knobel, 1961) Eskom power first came to Pretoriuskop and Numbi in 1963.

Baths with hot water in ablution blocks. These were another “unnecessary luxury”, according to management reports. Punda Maria and Letaba grudgingly got four baths each in 1939 – and only because visitors had to travel far on dusty roads.

So hah hah...how silly people were back then...


But then in there is the zinger amongst that:

Hotels. The first request for hotels in Kruger was rejected in 1927, then in 1930 and again in 1934. The Kruger National Park would not realise its potential with the embargo on hotels, wrote The Star in a leading article during this time. Seven decades later, in 2001, the first private lodge, Jock Safari Lodge, opened in Kruger.



It does not mention that the last request for a hotel (Malelane) was rejected by government in 2011...pending a better application by SP. -O Also, there have been lots of reports and counter reports since 1918, but that one was "visionary"... "Visitors expectations have changed"...so now just remember the visionary report from 1918 (Which certainly did not envisage traffic jams, spas, 24-hour access, OSVs and what not) and understand that visitors no longer subscribe to that old set of values, for some reason. Notice no report or study quoted.


Next: The Race Card

[H. erectus]

I will not endeavour for stats on how successful the ,."Jock safari lodge
actually is".,,,... A dangling carrot!!

[Sprocky]

H. stats are like a bikini,...

What it reveals is of little importance, but what it covers really matters.

[H. erectus]

Hah,...
Sprocks indeed so very true,..however it seems they are having
extreme difficulty luring that rabbit from the urban jungle!!

[Richprins]

The "Race Card" is an incredibly powerful tool around the world, and especially in SA, as "previously advantaged" people tend to simply shy away from confrontation and cow down, not wishing to be labelled as racists, end of story. Obviously the inequalities of the past need to be addressed. However, long leaps of logic are being made daily in SA to link .gov and SP's projects to this mantra, and the leaps are getting longer as time marches on, and it is becoming more and more difficult to somehow match projects to the past, and convince the generation of supporters born after Apartheid that opposition to new ideas is racist, no matter the merits of each scenario.

Now, we have a policy of not discussing politics on AW, but in this instance the discussion stems from SP's own political motivations, so it has to be answered?


Anyway...a few examples from the 2022 plan. Subtle:

Page 1: Tourism Journey – one which seeks to connect with a broader South African society in order to grow the number of citizens who will not only support, but protect our natural heritage.


Mr Phillips does not mention specifics, but the groundwork is laid, make no mistake!


Way, way back

Sounds innocent, but it is not. Saffies understand this implicitly...the trick is to get foreigners to link to: "already became clear that visitors were critical to the continued existence of our natural heritage" and "Over the decades visitors’ expectations have also changed dramatically" still not specific...

Then the silly stuff about visitors bringing their own guns, not wanting hot water, etc. with a quick and very much to the point zinger:


After decades of virtual exclusion from our National Parks, black visitors are now slowly discovering the joy of being welcomed into the Parks. Where previously only the barest amenities, mostly tents, were provided for them, black tourists can now enjoy the kind of experience that most appeals to them. From being told in the sixties that Balule was “reserved exclusively for Non-Europeans”, the preferences of the emerging market are now actively taken into account when planning new accommodation in the Parks.

Notice that white visitors apparently only stayed in huts, and moaned about ablutions. Actually, many stayed in tents too... And Balule had huts...


Anyway, point taken...



And among all segments of society there is increased acceptance of the Parks as part of the entire nation’s heritage.
On top of political, societal and economical changes, there is also the inbuilt lifecycle of any paradise found ... and lost. This is how it happens: A little-known destination is “discovered”. The first eager explorers go there, brave the lack of facilities and rave about the unspoilt natural beauty. Word spreads and more and more people start going there. To cope with this wave, amenities are increased and improved. Then busloads of visitors start arriving and if tourism activities aren’t managed, paradise soon begins to fade.

Once again, you may read this either way. But notice "political" is the first word, so read "first eager explorers" as non-whites being given a possible entry into paradise. Ignore "On top of"..that is spin. Very clever and subtle indeed! You can link the "busloads of visitors" to the threat of "paradise fading" immediately. Busloads won't arrive for the adventure trips etc.


The cycle from exploration to development, to maintaining capacity and then to stagnation can be surprisingly short.

This is the next zinger, an open threat, so fit in with the programme! (Actually very ironic, as should the opposite happen, as in all tourists not falling for this crap, the stagnation will be surprisingly short and catastrophic! )


And it continues methodically, page by page:

As part of a concerted effort to break down fences and to connect to the broader South African society, SANParks is broadening its product offering to appeal to the emerging market too, be relevant and grow its appeal to the entire nation

In between you can see references to local poor communities, but I shall address that as a separate insert. The communities and previously disadvantaged potential luxury tourists are conveniently linked throughout...

Using responsible tourism as a compass, new cultural, spiritual and recreational connections will be created and visitors will be able to experience the National Parks as never before.


"Cultural" is the first word again...


Much later:

They expect more than a rondavel, a clean ablution block and a communal fire.

Back to "Way way back..." Apparently that was not good enough?



And again, just in the middle of all the new adventure ideas:

This is where we conserve our cultural heritage and make it relevant for everyone.


And later:

OUR HERITAGE
Tailor-made specialist tours will cater for just about everyone, from birding cruises to botanical sightseeing, with tours for tree lovers or those fascinated by medicinal plants. If culture is your thing, you’ll be able to book a rock art tour, or watch a cultural dancing performance



As I said, the "culture" theme pervades this plan, apparently to the exclusion of other "cultures"...just my 2 cents worth...

[Toko]

UP: Generating income for SANParks through tourism

By Tourism Management Division

Posted on 24 April 2013

Drs Felicite Fairer Wessels and Anneli Douglas from the Tourism Management Division presented a research poster at the 11th Annual Savanna Science Networking Meeting, that was held in the Kruger National Park in March 2013.

The theme of the Savanna meeting was “Savanna ecosystems in times of change: advances in adaptive management, ecological understanding and social connectivity.”

The research poster focused on advances in adaptive management, with the brief to investigate ways and opportunities in which income can be generated through tourism for South African National Parks (SANParks) while keeping within their conservation and biodiversity aims.

Research is underway by BComHons (Tourism Management) students. They will do park comparisons, focusing on the northern cluster of national parks in South Africa which includes the Marakele National Park, Mapungupwe National Park and Golden Gate Highlands National Park. Exploratory desk research already done in this cluster indicated that volunteer programmes, research, hosting of events and day packages are possible ideas to generate income. Potential market segments are domestic and foreign tourists, the SAVE market, families and outdoor enthusiasts..

The empirical research, including in-depth interviews with park managers and a visitor survey per park, will be conducted during the second semester and results will be available in November 2013.