Maputo, 30 July (AIM) ‒ Tourism in Maputo National Park in southern Mozambique recorded, over the last year, 23 million meticais (360,000 US dollars, at the current exchange rate) in revenue.
According to a report by the Peace Parks Foundation (PPF) – a South African conservation organization which has been providing technical and financial support to Mozambique – this result was negatively influenced by the post-election demonstrations and rioting.
The PPF explains that tourism was affected by the protests in the final months of 2024 and Maputo National Park only recorded a four per cent increase in the number of overland visitors to 19,500, generating revenue of 23 million meticais.
“Also in the same park, on the marine side, diving decreased by seven per cent to 25,000, ocean safaris decreased by ten per cent to 2,600, while dolphin encounters increased by two per cent to 6,700. Recreational fishing numbers and revenue increased by five per cent and 60 per cent, respectively, to 3,800 catches, resulting in revenue of 28,000 dollars”, reads the document.
The report also reveals that in the Limpopo National Park, in the southern province of Gaza, tourism has continued to recover since the Covid-19 pandemic, with a 34 per cent increase in visitors totaling 5,300, and revenue increasing by 18 per cenr to 5.9 million meticais. Similarly, work began on installing new tourist road signage to improve the park’s tourist image.
The document also notes that Zinave National Park, in the southern province of Inhambane, received 1,200 tourists last year, a 65 per cent increase, generating revenue of 1.2 million meticais. Figtree Camp was created on-site to accommodate the increased number of camping tourists, with new restroom facilities built.
“In terms of investment, a vehicle for tourist safaris was also purchased and a consultant was appointed to advise on the special permit process for the Tondo Lodge camp, which is scheduled to launch in 2025”, reads the report.
According to the PPF, its financial support, over the last year, represented 71 per cent of the operational costs of all Mozambican parks. “In 2024, the Peace Parks Foundation’s total financial support for parks and operations in Mozambique exceeded 9.2 million dollars. The organization also managed an additional 6.3 million dollars in funding from external donors, thus accounting for over 15.5 million dollars of the total budget for park operations and development.”
The report also reveals that the organization has budgeted 21 million dollars for the current year.
The report also says that patrolling over the last year patrolling increased from 11,300 to 12,200 patrols, largely due to intensive rhino protection patrols in Zinave National Park. The number of rangers deployed also increased from 305 to 391.
According to the document, the average monthly number of snares found decreased significantly to 106 in 2024, compared to 171 in 2023. Meanwhile, poacher arrests remained consistent at an average of three per month.
“The continued trend of increasing effort and decreasing poaching statistics is indicative of strengthened protection within the parks. The improvement in poaching penalties in Mozambique continued to show a positive trend”, the report says.
However, it points out that “regrettably, six elephants were poached throughout the year in Limpopo National Park, and the ongoing threat of poisoning across the Greater Limpopo area, targeting carnivores, remains a concern, as does the growing threat of illegal logging in Zinave National Park.”
(AIM)
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