The Namibia Wild Resort has taken the lead in reviving |Ai-|Ais Transfrontier Park, as part of commitments made before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Its Managing Director, Dr Matthias Ngwangwama, travelled to Pretoria to assess progress in developing cross-border tourism products and events within the |Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park.

The ǀAi-ǀAis/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park is a protected cross-border park, spanning the border between South Africa and Namibia.

It was formed in 2003 by combining the Namibian ǀAi-ǀAis Hot Springs Game Park and South Africa's Richtersveld National Park.

NWR's spokesperson said the treaty is a commitment between the Namibian and South African governments aimed at fostering transnational cooperation between the parties.

Nelson Ashipala noted that this will facilitate effective ecosystem management in the area comprising Transfrontier Park by ensuring that the park's environment is taken care of.

In addition, the treaty undertakes to develop trans-border eco-tourism or responsible tourism to foster regional socio-economic development.

In efforts to revive the transfrontier commitment, NWR highlighted activities such as the Desert Night Cycling activity that last took place in 2017, as well as the Desert Kayak Trails, which brought innovative and sustainable ways to raise funds for conservation activities in the park.

NWR recently started renovating the |Ai-|Ais Hot Springs and Spa after it experienced flash floods that damaged the resort and its campsites last year.

"For |Ai-|Ais, we have to ensure that we have completed the campsites in time before the festive season. This is because tourists from the eastern side would come to Ai-Ais to come and camp; we have to ensure that it is ready for the festive season, and we already know how the campsites and ablution sites look on that side, so we have to bring them up to par."

NWR, as a member of the Joint Management Board according to the Treaty, is the national implementing agency in Namibia.