Tourism & Leisure
The Kruger National Park is the jewel in the province’s rich tourism crown but subsectors such as business, adventure, heritage and cultural tourism all have enormous potential.
• Mpumalanga earned R6.3-billion from tourism in 2008.
• Comair has started flying to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport.
The total number of foreign visitors to South Africa rose by 8.3% to a total of 9.7 million in 2008. Mpumalanga’s national ranking in terms of most-visited-destination rose from fifth to third, with 1.3 million choosing to visit the province.
The tourism sector is an important source of employment, accounting for about 7% of jobs in South Africa. In Mpumalanga it accounts for 8% of gross geographic product (GGP). This will almost certainly rise after the 2010 FIFA World Cup. In 2008, the province earned R6.3-billion from tourism.
The province’s tourism sector received a welcome shot in the arm a month before the soccer tournament kicked off, with the announcement that British Airways was to start flying from Johannesburg to Kruger
Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA).
British Airways’ Comair line is running six flights per week between Johannesburg and KMIA, adding approximately 80 000 seats to the capacity of the route between Gauteng’s heartland and the Lowveld city of Nelspruit. With increased numbers of flights and competition to Airlink being offered for the first time, prices are expected to be reduced.
The Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) has signed agreements with tour operators in Russia and the Far East, which will give the province further exposure.
There were 34 million domestic trips around South Africa in 2008, of which 1.4 million were in Mpumalanga. Spending increased from R20-billion in 2007 to R25.8-billion. Holiday travel was responsible for 16% of trips and 39% of income. Mpumalanga’s share of domestic tourism trips was 1.4 million.
A successful tourism enterprise can create jobs more quickly than almost any other type of enterprise and so it is no surprise that all levels of government turn to this sector to stimulate the economy.
The Big Three
The pursuit of the traditional Big Five is more than adequately catered for in Mpumalanga, but the province has its own Big Three: its three biggest tourist drawcards. These are the Kruger National Park and the many luxury private lodges and parks on its borders, the Blyde River Canyon and Pilgrims Rest.
Mpumalanga has 70 game and nature reserves, most of which are private; the provincial parks board operates 13. The landscape ranges from the forested valleys and streams of the north-east, the large commercial forests and dramatic cliffs on the edge of the escarpment, to the bushveld and grassland in the west.
Kruger National Park
The Kruger National Park is an iconic destination that hosts more than a million visitors annually. Its varied terrain of 20 000 square kilometres allows plenty of room for the Big Five and hundreds of other kinds of animals to roam. Several private game farms are strung along the edge of the park. Some of the more luxurious destinations, such as the Sabi Sabi Game Reserve, are ranked among the best in the world.
Blyde River Canyon
More than half of the tourists who visit Mpumalanga visit this spectacular natural feature, a softer, greener version of the Grand Canyon in the USA. Fabulous scenic views extend in every direction. An feasability study is being conducted on the proposed creation of a cable car over a section of the canyon.
Pilgrims Rest
Pilgrims Rest is the location of a R25-million project to upgrade and improve the area’s tourism offering. This was the site of South Africa’s first gold rush in 1873. Deposits of alluvial gold brought diggers to the area in large numbers, but it was only able to support small-scale mining. The original wood and corrugated buildings give an authentic picture of how the original town looked. There are four museums and good accommodation
options for travellers.
Trout fishing is another very popular activity that is well catered for in the province. Although the province already caters for motor-rally enthusiasts, cyclists, runners, walkers, fishers, horse-riders, tree-gliders, abseilers, white-water rafters and rock climbers, there is still tremendous potential for more investment in the ecotourism and adventure tourism subsectors.
Cultural tourism in the north-west is being promoted as a way of uplifting communities, but there are many opportunities to expand this across the province, especially as the diverse cultures of the Swazi, Ndebele, Pedi, Tsonga, Afrikaans, English and Zulu people are all present in Mpumalanga.
Business tourism is growing with an increasing number of conferences taking place in the province and casinos provide a good revenue stream through taxes. The provincial government is considering the construction of a major conference centre in Nelspruit.
The tourism authority is promoting Mpumalanga as part of the sub-region, which includes Mozambique and Swaziland.
Projects
An amount of R45-million has been set aside by the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency for various upgrades and new facilities. Among the possibilities is a new skywalk at the magnificent Blyde River Canyon.
The Loskop Dam is another area that is receiving funding for upgrades. The MTPA is entering into partnerships with private companies to do all of these improvements and projects, on a concession basis.
The Tourism Enterprise Partnership (TEP) is a Section 21 company that supports tourism entrepreneurship. A ‘Nelspruit Cluster’ of starter tourism companies allows them to network with one another while the TEP assists directly with things such as training and marketing.
One entrepreneur in this field is former gardener and tour guide William Hlatshwayo. After spells with Sabi Sabi and with the provincial park authorities of Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal, he now runs his own business, Crowned Eagle Tours and Safaris.
The Heritage Project commissioned by the Mpumalanga provincial government showed that the area’s history could present opportunities for a new tourism market. History is already used to market Pilgrims Rest and there is a Jock of the Bushveld route that celebrates the fictitious adventures of a loyal hunter’s dog. But the research that the Wits University History Department provided for the Heritage Project showed that there is great potential for growth in this sector.
Geological tourism is a new concept that could find rich soil in Mpumalanga. The Makhonjwa Mountains around Barberton are unique and important in the history of gold mining. Geologists believe that these mountains hold clues to the earliest history of earth.
The Mpumalanga Provincial Government’s tourism development strategy aims to increase air access, expand the offering, upgrade skills within the sector, strengthen community involvement and increase transformation opportunities. A joint marketing initiative with Thompsons Holidays plans to further increase visitor numbers. Provincial parks and game reserves have received investment injections, with Manyeleti near the Kruger Park and Songimvelo south of Barberton receiving priority. The latter park is the focus of a transfrontier project connecting Songimvelo with its Swazi counterpart, Malolotja.
Tourism regions
Mpumalanga has seven tourist regions, each with a unique combination of sights and experiences.
Lowveld Legogote
The provincial capital of Nelspruit is the hub of this region. The nearby Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport is vital to tourism. Nelspruit is home to the Lowveld Botanical Garden and has several hotels. The Sudwala Caves are said to the oldest dolomite caves in the world. White River is an excellent base for trips to the Kruger National Park and it has a splendid Motor Museum.
Panorama
This region encompasses the dramatic change in landscape as South Africa’s escarpment gives way to the lower country in the east. The mining town of Pilgrims Rest is a historical monument. Adventure tourism is on the rise and the area is an ideal destination due to its waterfalls, white water, cliffs and muddy paths. Mountains are well-suited to be tackled by bungee jumpers, rafters, hot-air balloonists and off-road car enthusiasts. The annual Sasol motor rally earns a lot of money for the local economy.
Highlands Meander
Dullstroom is a trout-fishing paradise, and it is the northern tip of a Trout Triangle defined by Emakhazeni (Belfast) and Emgwenya (Waterval Boven). Lodges, fly-fishing festivals and trout hatcheries are important parts of the area’s economy. The dramatic Long Tom Pass includes a Robbers’ Pass and leads to Lydenburg, where replicas of the 800-year-old Lydenburg heads can be seen.
Cultural Heartland
Covering the north-west sector of the province, the Cultural Heartland is close to the metropolitan areas of Johannesburg and Pretoria. Suitably located for day trips from the metropolitan areas, there are also plenty of accommodation options, ranging from lakeside cottages and game lodges to city accommodation in Witbank or Middelburg. The Ndebele Cultural Village at Botshabelo is a highlight for many tourists. The Loskop Dam Nature Reserve offers outdoor enthusiasts many choices.
Cosmos Country
The south-western part of Mpumalanga is home to the biggest underground coal-mining complex in the world. Together with the Sasol fuel-from-coal plant, these facilities attract visitors interested in mining and industry. The region also has a reputation for beautiful pink flowers in late summer, hence its name. Secunda has a casino and a golf course designed by Gary Player.
Grass and Wetlands
The south-eastern region of Mpumalanga is for nature lovers. The many large lakes in the region attract birds and frogs, and tourists willing to spend money looking for both. Chrissiesmeer is South Africa’s biggest freshwater lake. It is also the site of two rather unusual annual events: a frog-watching festival and an Anglo-Boer War battle re-enactment. The eastern parts of the region abutting Swaziland are mountainous and the area is heavily forested in the south.The region’s main town, Ermelo, holds agricultural fairs throughout the year and the thriving merino-sheep sector attracts buyers and admirers from afar. The Lubombo Tourism Route is a regional project which covers Mpumalanga, Swaziland, Mozambique and KwaZulu-Natal.
Wild Frontier
The Wild Frontier is one of the most important regions to the tourist economy of Mpumalanga, bordering as it does Swaziland and Mozambique and guarding the Malelane and Crocodile Bridge gates to the Kruger National Park. The Songimvelo Game Reserve is owned by the provincial government and is part of a
transfrontier project with its Swaziland neighbour.
Barberton is the centre of a range of mountains that are fascinating for geologists. Hiking and 4x4 trails are popular activities. The Leopard Creek golf course in Malelane attracts top golfers to the annual Alfred Dunhill championship. Badplaas has excellent spa and hot-water spring facilities.
Online resources
Mpumalanga Tourism & Parks Agency: www.mpumalanga.com
National Department of Tourism: www.deat.gov.za
South Africa.info: www.safrica.info
South African National Parks: www.sanparks.co.za
South African Tourism: www.southafrica.net
South African Tourism Services Association: www.satsa.com
Tourism Enterprise Partnership: www.tep.co.za
