2006-02-27 : VISITORS

MORE and more black South Africans are growing to enjoy the bush.

In 2003, only four percent of the 3,4 million people who visited South Africa`s national parks were black.

Last year, the figure leaped to 19,7 percent.

"We are happy with the results, but encourage all South Africans to consider our parks as possible holiday destinations," said David Mabunda, chief executive of South African National Parks, this week.

He said the increase in black visitors could be a result of outreach programmes and intensive marketing and public-relations campaigns aimed at black people.

In a nine-month survey of 14 major parks, ending on December 31,2005, it was found that Mapungubwe National Park had the most black visitors.

An impressive 62,2 percent of all guests at the park were black.

Mapungubwe, on the banks of the Limpopo River, has become an icon of black pride.

It is believed to be the first capital of the Great Zimbabwe Empire dating back about 1000 years, and was declared a World Heritage Site in July 2003.

Closely following Mapungubwe is the Golden Gate National Park in the Maluti Mountains in the north-eastern Free State, where 22,8 percent of visitors last year were black.

The third most popular park among black people last year was South Africa's flagship, the Kruger National Park, where 21,4 percent of visitors were black.

The report also found that most visitors to national parks were South African. - African Eye News Service