13 Oct 2019

Stakeholders in the tourism industry in Kasane have suggested increment of Botswana’s protected areas fees to ensure revenue retention by such facilities.

Speaking at a consultative meeting in Kasane recently, the stakeholders resolved that there was need to increase fees for the entrance, vehicle, camping, research and rates for other activities in the areas.

The meeting convened by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP)  attracted the industry’s players such as tour operators, hospitality, village leadership and community based entities, among others.    

One of the contributors, Mr Brett McDonald said he would appreciate if the park fees went up.

He further proposed that part of the raised revenues should go back into the management committees by improving infrastructure such as ablution blocks, adding that he was worried about the litter in the parks.

Furthermore, Mr McDonald said 70 per cent of the raised revenue should go to the government coffers while 30 per cent was used by the management committee of the concerned areas.

Mr Peace Samoka suggested that park entry fee should be increased from P120 to P150 for non-residents and from the total revenue raised both the government, the management committee and the community should get a share

Mr Samuel Tshekonyane suggested that from the P120 entrance fee, government should get P100 and the P20 should go to the management committee of the park.

On another note, Mr Rex Kelly suggested that since Botswana’s protected areas fees were low compared to rest of the region, there should be a 100 per cent increase across all of them and he suggested that for Chobe National Park an electronic ticketing system should be introduced at Sedudu gate in order to control congestion in the park. Mr Jost Kabozu concurred that there should be an increase in park fees adding that there should be revenue retention for the improvement of infrastructure such as roads and maintenance of boreholes in parks.

Mr Kabozu said the maintenance of boreholes in the parks will resolve the human/wildlife conflict whereby animals flee the park to harass the neighbouring villagers looking for water.

He further said in times of drought animals such as hippos will not die in large numbers as it is currently the case in Ngami.

Apart from the increase in park fees and the retention of revenue by the parks the meeting resolved that the government should fund the development and maintenance of parks because they are an investment.

They highlighted the need for the citizens to change their behavior in and towards the parks and to refrain from the entitlement mentality and lead by example.

It was also resolved that the fees for foreign registered vehicles entering the parks should be higher than locally registered vehicles as a way of encouraging the utilization of local operators and empowering them in the process.

 Furthermore, it was a consensus that the increase in fees should be reviewed every five years.

It was also noted that there is need to increase the presence of the DWNP staff in the protected areas in order to control congestion.

Acting director of DWNP, Dr Cyril Taolo said the last review of Botswana’s protected areas fees was in 2000 and the objective of the consultative meeting was engage stakeholders on how the areas could further Batswana.

He said his department was cognizant that while there is need for conservation of the areas, visitors should also be able to enjoy nature with fees that are competitive when compared to the rest of the region.

Dr Taolo said the DWNP noted that gradual decline in the standard of facilities and clientele have been calling for the maintenance of such. 

He said it was important for stakeholders to come up with ways of maintaining the facilities without overstretching government coffers adding that the private sector was an important stakeholder in that regard.

He noted that the government through the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism is keen to work with the local communities and ensure that they benefit from the areas and remain relevant to their livelihoods.

A Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) environmental consultant, Dr Hugo van Zyl indicated that benchmarking was done in some countries such as Namibia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, eSwatini, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda to establish how the Botswana fees compete and they were found to be low.

Dr van Zyl cited that in Kenya the fees were revised every two years through consultation and bargaining with the tourism industry stakeholders while in South Africa tariffs were market related considering the facilities and attractions and annual inflation increase.

Via the benchmarking exercise it was established that Botswana and Namibia fees were last reviewed a long time ago in 2000 and 2005 respectively but noted that Namibia is currently reviewing the fees.

Concerning revenue retention, Dr van Zyl said although Kenya and South Africa parks are ran by parastatals they retain all of their fees. 

Though Tanzania is also run by parastatals, government approval is required for utilization of funds.

In Namibia, he said, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism retains 25 per cent of park entrance fees for re-investment in protected area management. ENDS