16 Februarie 2024 – Pretoria FM se Esté Gross het met Professor Peet van der Merwe van Noord-Wes Universiteit se Skool vir Toerismebestuur gesels oor die navorsing wat deur die Toerismenavorsing in Ekonomie, Omgewings en Samelewing (TREES) navorsingseenheid by die Noordwes-Universiteit (NWU) gedoen is rakende die sosio-ekonomiese impak van die private wildbedryf in Suid-Afrika. Die studie is gelei deur prof Peet van der Merwe, Andrea Saayman en Elmarie Slabbert
R15,456 miljard: Privaat wildjag beteken groot geld
Artikel deur Bertie Jacobs (Noord Wes Universiteit Nuusspan)
Die Suid-Afrikaanse privaat wildjagbedryf is een wat gekoester moet word. Dit is weer eens duidelik gemaak deur navorsing wat uitgevoer is deur die navorsingseenheid vir Toerismenavorsing in Ekonomie, die Omgewing en die Samelewing (TREES), wat deur prof Peet van der Merwe, Andrea Saayman en Elmarie Slabbert uitgevoer is. Die navorsing het getoon dat die bedryf miljarde rand in Suid-Afrika se ekonomie terugploeg.
Die doel van die navorsing was om die sosio-ekonomiese impak van die privaat wildbedryf in Suid-Afrika te bepaal, met opnames wat vanaf Junie 2022 tot Augustus 2022 uitgevoer is. Vraelyste is aanlyn versprei en het die reaksie van 1 685 plaaslike jagters en 415 internasionale jagters ontlok.
Wat die plaaslike jagters betref, was 97% van die respondente manlik, met ’n gemiddelde ouderdom van 47, en 82% van hulle was getroud. Hulle het gemiddeld aan 2,7 jagtogte per jaar deelgeneem en het 4,16 nagte by hulle voorkeurbestemming gebly. Hulle provinsiale voorkeurbestemmings was, in volgorde: Limpopo, Noordwes, die Vrystaat en die Noord-Kaap.
Die internasionale jagters se profiel het getoon dat 89% manlik is, met ’n gemiddelde ouderdom van 57 jaar, 81% was getroud en hulle het ten minste drie keer in die afgelope tien jaar in Suid-Afrika gejag. Hulle voorkeurprovinsie was ook Limpopo, gevolg deur die Oos-Kaap, die Vrystaat en die Noord-Kaap.
Suid-Afrikaanse jagters het elkeen ’n totale jaarlikse besteding van R63 282 gehad. Hierdie syfer sluit verblyf, vervoer, kos, die verwerking van die vleis, jagpermitte, gelde en die wild wat gejag is in. Met ’n beraamde 200 000 plaaslike jagters kan daar afgelei word dat hulle ongeveer R12,65 miljard tot die Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomie bygedra het.
Wat internasionale jagters betref, vind nie al hulle uitgawes binne die grense van die land plaas nie. Daar is byvoorbeeld internasionale vlugte, verskepingskoste vir trofeë en die aankoop van items soos klere voordat hulle na Suid-Afrika kom. Deur egter hierdie syfers aan te pas en in ag te neem dat daar voor en ná die toer ander besteding plaasvind, is die bedrag per jagter per jagtoer wat in ons plaaslike geldkoffers ingaan, R450 000.
Plaaslike en internasionale jagters dra gesamentlik R15,456 miljard tot ons ekonomie by.
Dit is egter nie waar die voordele ophou nie.
Meer as 80% van die plaaslike jagters glo dat jagtoerisme meer inkomste vir die betrokke gemeenskappe genereer, dat jagtoerisme werksgeleenthede binne die bepaalde jaggebied vermeerder, dat jagtoerisme die ekonomie sowel as die lewenstandaard in die gebied verhoog, en dat dit help om kulturele tradisies vir toekomstige geslagte te bewaar.
Sedert die laaste omvattende opname deur TREES uitgevoer is, het die privaat wildbedryf ’n toename van R1,81 miljard getoon, hoewel die rand/dollar-wisselkoers en ’n toename in lewenskoste tot hierdie syfer bygedra het.
“Die privaat wildbedryf is nie net ’n noodsaaklike deel van die land se toerisme-aanbieding nie, maar ook ’n integrale deel van ons ekonomie. Die waarde daarvan kan nie onderskat word nie, en ons moet alles doen wat ons kan om dit te bewaar, te bevorder en uit te bou. As ’n instrument vir werkskepping en bewaring, moet ons die magdom geleenthede benut wat die bedryf het om te bied,” sê prof Peet van der Merwe, ’n kundige oor die natuur en ekotoerisme by TREES.
Nou-ja, dit is ’n kolskoot vir die Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomie.
16 February 2024 – Pretoria FM’s Esté Gross spoke with Professor Peet van der Merwe of North-West University’s School of Tourism Management about the research done by the Tourism Research in Economics, Environs and Society (TREES) research unit at the North-West University (NWU), which aimed to study the socio-economic impact of the private wildlife industry in South Africa. The study was steered by Prof Peet van der Merwe, Andrea Saayman and Elmarie Slabbert.
R15,456 billion: Private wildlife hunting means big bucks
Article by Bertie Jacobs (North West University News Team)
The South African private wildlife hunting industry is one that should be treasured. This was again made evident by the research conducted by the research unit for Tourism Research in Economics, Environs and Society (TREES) at the North-West University (NWU), which was steered by Prof Peet van der Merwe, Andrea Saayman and Elmarie Slabbert. The research showed that the industry ploughs billions of rands back into South Africa’s economy.
The research aimed to determine the socio-economic impact of the private wildlife industry in South Africa, with surveys conducted from June 2022 to August 2022. Questionnaires were distributed online, garnering responses from 1 685 local hunters and 415 international hunters.
Concerning local hunters, 97% of the respondents were male, with an average age of 47, and 82% were married. On average, they participate in 2,7 hunting trips a year and stay 4,16 nights at their destination of choice. Their preferred provincial destinations were, in order: Limpopo, North West, the Free State and the Northern Cape.
The international hunters’ profile showed that 89% were male, with an average age of 57 years, 81% were married and they had hunted in South Africa at least three times in the past ten years. Their preferred province was also Limpopo, followed by the Eastern Cape, the Free State and the Northern Cape.
South African hunters each had a total yearly expenditure of R63 282. This figure took into account accommodation, transport, food, meat processing, hunting permits, fees and game hunted. With an estimated 200 000 local hunters, it can be deduced that they contributed about R12,65 billion to the South African economy.
On to international hunters. Not all their expenses occur within the confines of the country, for example, international flights, shipping costs for trophies and the purchase of items such as clothing before coming to South Africa, but adjusting for these numbers and taking into account pre- and post-tour spending, the amount per hunter per hunting trip that goes to our local coffers is R450 000.
Together, local and international hunters contribute R15,456 billion to our economy.
However, this is not where the benefits end.
More than 80% of local hunters believe that hunting tourism generates more income for the involved communities, that hunting tourism increases job opportunities within the specific hunting area, that hunting tourism improves the economy as well as the standard of living in the area, and that it helps to preserve cultural traditions for future generations.
Since the last comprehensive survey was conducted by TREES, the private wildlife industry has shown a R1,81 billion increase, although the rand/dollar exchange rate and an increase in living costs will have contributed to this figure.
“The private wildlife industry is not just an essential part of the country’s tourist offering, but also an integral part of our economy. Its value cannot be underestimated, and we must do all that we can to preserve, promote and expand it. As a tool for sustainable job creation and conservation we must utilise the myriad of opportunities the industry has to offer,” says prof Peet van der Merwe, a wildlife and ecotourism expert at TREES.
Now that is bang for the South African buck.
To download the presentation on the study results, click here: The Socio-Economic impact of the private wildlife industry in South Africa
Socio-Economic contribution - Prof Peet vd Merwe
