Namibia Wildlife Resorts has renewed its commitment with South Africa to operate the cross-border Richtersveld Transfrontier Park to boost tourism.
Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) has renewed its commitment with South Africa to operate the cross-border Richtersveld Transfrontier Park in order to boost tourism. This followed a delegation to South Africa from 2 to 4 November led by Namibia Wildlife Resorts MD Dr. Matthias Ngwangwama.
Namibia Wildlife Resorts: Developing cross-border tourism products
The aim of the delegation was to “assess progress in developing cross-border tourism products and events” within the cross-border park, according to a Namibia Wildlife Resorts statement. Straddling the border between South Africa and Namibia, the park was established in 2003 by combining the Namibian Ai-Ais Hot Springs Game Park and the South African Richtersveld National Park.
The treaty is a commitment between the governments of Namibia and South Africa to foster transnational collaboration and cooperation. This will facilitate effective ecosystem management in the area comprising the transfrontier park. In addition, the treaty undertakes to develop trans-border eco-tourism to foster regional socio-economic development.
Second largest canyon in the world
The Ai-Ais Richtersveld Transfrontier Park spans some of the most spectacular arid and desert mountain scenery in southern Africa. It includes the Fish River Canyon, the largest canyon in Africa and second only to the Grand Canyon in Arizona in the USA.
Recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, the Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape is renowned as a biodiversity hotspot and boasts some of the richest succulent flora in the world. It is one of only two entirely arid ecosystems to earn hotspot status, the other being the Horn of Africa.
Financing conservation efforts
Dr. Ngwangwama highlighted how events such as the Desert Knights Mountain Bike Tour and the Desert Kayak Trail are innovative examples of raising funds for conservation activities while generating short-term employment and training opportunities. In addition, there is the Fish River Canyon Hike and the Richtersveld Wildrun.
“We saw throngs of adrenalin seekers enjoying themselves and creating strong marketing for Namibia and the park. We hope to see the same again soon. This means more revenue for Namibia in terms of tourism,” said Dr. Ngwangwama.