Skukuza Safari Lodge in the Kruger National Park will close temporarily from January 1 to facilitate change management and refurbishments as part of SANParks’ Commercialisation Strategy.

This seeks to enhance parks as nature tourism destinations by diversifying tourism offerings in partnership with the private sector.

SANParks undertook a public tender process for the appointment of a private operator to manage the lodge for a period of ten years. The appointed operator is a joint venture between Tourvest Holdings (Pty) Ltd and Karibu Leisure Resort.

Tourvest Holdings will be represented by AHA Hotels and Lodges, the tourism property management company of Tourvest Accommodation Activities. Karibu Leisure Resort is owned by its founder and CEO Nyeleti Mushwana and has world-class conference facilities.

The 256-bed lodge is expected to open again in February under a management agreement between SANParks and the joint venture. In co-operation with SANParks, the joint venture will manage, operate and maintain the Skukuza Safari Lodge and the Nombolo Mdhluli Conference Centre adjacent to the lodge.

This intervention is also a deliberate effort to create BBBEE opportunities and advance transformation of the tourism industry. In the past 20 years this strategy earned SANParks an income of R1.5 billion (€73.4m) through its public-private partnerships. The revenue generated contributes significantly to the funding of conservation and the overall sustainability of SANParks.