Driving tourism to unlock sustainable economic growth

Sustainable tourism and conservation are essential to South Africa's goal of bringing in 15-million foreign tourists by 2030 - and the South African National Parks (SANParks) has positioned itself as an important conduit between the private sector and communities where it operates across the country.

- By Bongani Mdakane

SANParks welcomed 6.8 mullion tourists at its sites in the past financial year.

(Photos Supplied)

Speaking at the 2026 Africa's Travel Indaba, SANParks CEO Hapiloe Sello said it was important to get business on board as partners in uplifting small and medium-sized enterprises, especially in the more remote areas of the country. The agency oversees South Africa’s premier conservation areas — 21 national parks and 10 marine protected areas - covering more than 44 595km² across the country.

“SANParks prides itself on being a great agency aimed at presenting the country’s tourism to the world. We are at the forefront of making sure that our tourism clients get the most amazing experience when they visit our establishments.

“We are also proud to state that during the financial year ending March 31, 2026, SANParks welcomed 6.8-million tourists across all its sites. We believe that we have fully recovered now from the pandemic, and we are going strong to build a great legacy in the conservation space.” she said.