CapeNature reopened all its reserves in the Western Cape this morning, ahead of the long weekend. This follows an announcement by the National Government that South Africans are now allowed to travel for leisure again within their respective provinces. 

The Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Anton Bredell says the easing of national lockdown regulations comes as a huge relief for CapeNature and the Western Cape travel and tourism sector as a whole, who are finally able to open their doors again for overnight stays.

“Over the past 5 months, the Covid-19 Pandemic has been a wrecking ball in terms of the economy. The tourism and hospitality industry has been severely affected. An entity like CapeNature relies on additional income from its facilities to do critical environmental work, protecting our natural heritage. If one aspect is affected, it impacts the other aspects too.”

Dr. Razeena Omar, CapeNature Chief Executive Officer, says CapeNature is looking forward to welcoming visitors for overnight stays again, in line with the easing of regulations and following the strictest health protocols.

“This is certainly a step in the right direction as the tourism sector has taken a massive knock and the livelihoods of many, including our own staff, have been affected. This is an opportunity for us to generate much needed revenue and to add value again to the Western Cape economy.”

All overnight stays for self-catering accommodation, camping, selected overnight hiking trails and eco-venues are open for bookings.

All visitors wanting to make a booking are encouraged to make use of the online booking portal https://booking.capenature.co.za/or speak directly to a customer service agent on 087 087 8250.

Issued by CapeNature