News

Soweto – South African National Parks (SANParks) today (Thursday, 4 August 2022) announced the official opening of its Soweto-based booking office in the popular Vilakazi Street, as well as, a partnership with Varsity Vibe – South Africa’s first student discount app.

This is according to SANParks’ Acting Chief Executive Officer, Hapiloe Sello, who said this partnership comes at a time when the travel and tourism industry is hard at work trying to find innovative ideas for inspiring travel.

The partnership with Varsity Vibe, offers exclusive deals on accommodation, camping and activities, which includes a 30% discount to active members at selected national parks during specified periods on the Varsity Vibe App.

Sello said, along with knowledge and skills afforded to students by various institutions of higher learning, it is also important that students get life experiences and interact with the outside world by visiting various tourism destinations as the country continues to recover from the devastating effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“As part of SANParks’ marketing strategy which strives to grow its visitor base, we undertook to open our first township booking office in Soweto. This office is based in the heart of Vilikazi Street which was once home to two Nobel Peace Prize Winners, the late first President of democratic South Africa Nelson Mandela and Emeritus Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu,” said Sello.

She said Soweto is known for its vibrant social character with people grouping themselves into formidable forums, such as stokvels or social clubs whose membership boasts many different types of personalities and profiles, ranging from the ordinary grandmother to the high-earning CEOs of companies and large corporate and public sector institutions.

“With this announcement in Soweto today, SANParks hopes to position itself as the primary holiday destination amongst the domestic market and specifically the youth, raise awareness of the SANParks brand, as well as, increase the number of black visitors to the National Parks and there is certainly no better way to launch such an initiative than following Youth Month in June and Mandela Day in July and in the sprawling metropolis of Soweto,” concluded Sello.

Issued by:
South African National Parks (SANParks) Corporate Communications

Media enquiries:
Rey T Thakhuli
SANParks General Manager: Media, PR & Stakeholder Relations
Tel: 012 426 5170, Mobile: 073 373 4999 or email: [email protected]