South African National Park held its 18th annual free access week from September 16-25. The week saw a total of 94 203 day visitors participate in the campaign, compared with last year's 72 166.
The campaign, held under the theme 'Know Your National Parks', allowed South Africans to spend a day at a national park of their choice free of charge.
SANParks CEO, Hapiloe Sello, said this year’s numbers were 30% higher than in 2022.
"The survival of the South African national parks system and our natural and cultural heritage lies in the people of South Africa, and we are focused on involving young people and communities to cultivate knowledge of the importance of conservation and an appreciation for the country's natural heritage," said Sello.
The week also saw 8 119 free day visitors participate in the campaign compared with last year's 5 068 in the Garden Route National Park, a 60% increase compared with 2022.
Tsitsikamma saw 3 502 day visitors, Knysna Lakes 2 292, and Wilderness received 2 325 people during the week.
Garden Route National Park GM, Vuyiswa Radebe, said: "Despite the challenges posed by nature, including the storm surge during the opening weekend and severe rainfall toward the end of the week, Garden Route National Park remains committed to ensuring the safety and enjoyment of all visitors. In the interest of safety, some hiking trails had to be closed temporarily during the severe weather conditions.
"While we faced some obstacles, we see them as opportunities for growth and improvement. We will continue working tirelessly to make Garden Route National Park an even more accessible and enjoyable destination for all.”
