Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning

(a)

CapeNature has identified the need to shift its focus from the traditional marketing approach to a more customer targeted approach.  CapeNature’s dedicated marketing and tourism strategies are twofold: to maintain our existing loyal clientele and to grow our new constituency of users, this includes the emerging market and aims to transform our clientele. 

 

The following initiatives are in place to promote and attract visitors to CapeNature reserves:

• CapeNature Facebook Page
• CapeNature Twitter Account
• CapeNature Newsletter that is distributed to its reservations database
• Continued marketing and advertising in print media (includes mainstream publications as well as local and community newspapers)
• Selected seasonal radio campaigns (includes mainstream as well as community radio stations)
• Special pricing and promotional discounts
• Participation at various national, regional and local events and exhibitions.

 

(b) (i)   

Activities available for families include:

    Day walks

    Overnight hiking

    Stargazing at Anysberg

    Canoeing

    Camping

    Bird watching

Whale watching

    Swimming

    Picnicking

    Mountain biking

4X4 routes

 

(b) (ii)  

CapeNature has identified three tourism facilities that can accommodate strategic meetings, business gatherings and team building activities.

                  

The facilities are:

Potberg Environmental Centre

De Hoop's diversity of landscapes, ranging from mountains, fresh water streams and a large vlei, to a long stretch of coastline, is ideally suited for environmental education, group meetings, staff breakaways, teambuilding activities, youth programmes, even large family gatherings etc.

 

Guided and self-guided hikes:

      - guided 2 to 3 hour Klipspringer Interpretative hike

      - guided night hike which is + 1 hour 

      Other Guided programmes include mountain and coastal hikes with studies of fynbos ecology, invasive plants, tidal pools, dunes and the De Hoop vlei.

 

Kogelberg Nature Reserve

The Palmiet River Meeting room

      - Seats 20 people classroom/conference set up

      - Fully equipped with audio visual equipment

      - White board and other conference stationery

      - own dedicated kitchen and bathroom facility

Should any group book all the self-catering accommodation units, the Palmiet River Meeting room will be at no additional cost to the group.

 

Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve

The Centre is housed in the renovated old Grootvadersbosch Primary School that was built in the early 1970s. The reserve caters for both group bookings and leisure accommodation.

 

The GVB Centre is available for self-guided environmental programmes for schools and research institutions. However a guided option is available to WCG employees. - A guided 2 to 3 hour forest hike meanders through the eco - tone and within the indigenous forest. 

 

(b) (iii) and (iv)

Activities for adventure and guided tours include the following:

Overnight Canoe Trail at Keurbooms River

Guided Canopy Tours (Concession) at Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve

Bouldering and rock climbing  at Cerderberg Wilderness

River-rafting (Concession) at Kogelberg Nature Reserve

Guided horse trail at Anysberg

Kloofing at Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve

Guided overnight donkey trail (Concession) at Swartberg Nature Reserve

Guided tours of birding, hiking, quad biking, land-based whale watching and mountain biking at De Hoop Collection (Concession)

   

 

(c) (i)  

Places to stay achievements:

- All accommodation meets and in some instances exceeds the minimum tourism accommodation standards

- Two reserves received international accolades for sustainable construction

- Quality accommodation and value for money

 

Places to stay challenges:

- Remoteness of some reserves requires 4x4 and high clearance vehicles

- Poor workmanship of appointed contractors results in delays and extended product closures

- Costs of doing business on reserves are generally higher due to locations

 

(c) (ii)  

Activities for families achievements:

Activities such as day walks, mountain bike trails, self-guided interpretative walks, kayak and canoe hire, mountain bike hire (adult and children bikes with safety helmets). Also introduced jungle gyms at selected nature reserves and all reserves now have child friendly crockery and cutlery.

 

Activities for families challenges:

Some activities are not accessible to younger children due to safety concerns.

 

(c) (iii)  

School groups achievements:

-  number of schools visiting nature reserves are steadily starting to increase.

- Potberg Environmental Education Centre was recently refurbished and CapeNature is receiving positive reviews from schools.

- focused school programme in place.

- competent, passionate and highly motivated staff.

 

School groups challenges:

- Travel distance from schools to Environmental Education Centers.

- Affordability, even though CapeNature often discounts our accommodation tariffs there are other costs such as transport, food etc. which are also major deterrents for schools to visit

- Need to get other Environmental Education Centres up to standard, funding not always readily available

- Need to communicate this effectively to broader stakeholders, but this can only be done once Environmental Education Centres are refurbished and meets the necessary standards.

 

 

(c) (iv)  

Team building activities achievements:

- A number of team building activities are offered by CapeNature and various concessions, it includes:

-Donkey trail (Swartberg Nature Reserve)

- White river rafting and tubing (Kogelberg Nature Reserve)

- Canopy tours (Hotenttots Holland Nature Reserve)

- Guided Hikes into the Cederberg Wilderness Area (Cederberg Nature Reserve)

- Outback and overnight horse trails (Anysberg Nature Reserve)

- Stargazing (Anysberg Nature Reserve)

- All concessions are accredited and managed in terms of a Service Level Agreement

- Contributes to job recreation and skills development of local communities

 

Team building activities challenges:

- Seasonality of the Western Cape tourism cycle has a major impact on all outdoor activities. The provinces winter seasons are cold and wet which is a major deterrent for outdoor adventure seekers.

- Adverse weather conditions such as floods and fires.