KZN tourism hit hard by 4x4 ban
The new regulations banning 4x4 vehicles from the beaches have devastated tourism, employment and fishing on the KwaZulu-Natal coast with holidaymakers cancelling pre-booked holidays.
In the two weeks since the new regulations were instituted, a drop in visitors to the northern regions of Kosi Bay and Sodwana Bay has been noted, said Tourism KwaZulu-Natal Market Research Manager James Seymour.
"The regulations are extreme. We realise there is a need to regulate, but this blanket ban is detrimental to the tourism industry," he said.
"Already we have noticed a drop in tourism and, while we understand the need to protect the turtles and such, perhaps this should be looked at again and demarcated areas that allow for vehicles on to the beaches should be instituted," he added.
The blanket ban on vehicles on the beaches came into being on January 20 when the department of environmental affairs and tourism instituted amendments to the National Environmental Act of 1998.
The act calls for a general prohibition on the recreational use of vehicles in the coastal zone, provides procedures for approving the use of vehicles in the coastal zone under specific circumstances and provides measurement for the enforcement of these regulations.
KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife Coastal Region Eco-Tourism Manager Ian Porter said public perception was one of anger towards the authorities in general. "They are angry that their rights have been imposed on, that without any consideration, consultation or discussion, the laws were changed," he said.
Porter said he had pre-booked holidays more than a year ago and now the public were phoning and writing to cancel.
"They cannot have the holiday they planned for," he said. One booking for the Easter holiday period had been cancelled, resulting in a loss of R10 000. "And that was just one booking. Many have already been cancelled," he added.
The second concern is the loss of income in an already poverty-stricken area.
"People who come camping with their 4x4s usually employ one or two locals to help around the camp, act as guides and clean the vehicles, but this will not be happening any more," he added.
Last year alone, 11 500 man-days were created through this form of employment. "On average, these guides are paid R30 a day, which is about a R350 000 loss to these people," he added.
Divers also have to carry heavy scuba diving equipment down to the beaches.
"What this means is that people are going to go to areas that can accommodate 4x4s, such as Mozambique, and we are going to lose that vital tourism revenue," said Porter.
"If we had some warning we could have softened the impact. We could have organised the appropriate infrastructure such as car parks or security for the vehicles," Porter added.
KwaZulu-Natal Coastal Anglers Association Chairman Barry Wareham said the ban had been "a little disastrous" for the anglers.
"We now have to walk far distances with our equipment, which means that we exclude the youngsters and our retired anglers who cannot walk the distances we do with the equipment needed," said Wareham.
His other concern is that the association has spent a lot of time putting in regulations for their anglers. "The general public is still driving on to the beaches illegally. But we are banning our anglers.
"They are saying there is no merit in belonging to the association and this is a concern," he added.