The Boundless Southern Africa (BSA) expedition which was aimed at creating awareness and promoting tourism and investment opportunities in the seven transfrontier conservation Areas (TFCAs) ended at the /Ai-/Ais-Richtersveld transfrontier conservation areas (TFCA) on the Namibian side.

In attendance at the closing ceremony were Presidents Ian Khama of Botswana, Hifikepunye Pohamba of Namibia, King Mswati of Swaziland, Prime Minister Dr B Dlamini of Swaziland and President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe.

The 10 000 kilometres expedition led by Kingsley Holgate of National Geographic Travel, was launched at the National Tourism Indaba in South Africa on 11 May 2009. The team travelled through the nine Southern African Development Regions (SADC) countries (Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe), seven TFCAs, thirty national parks and nature reserves. The seven TFCAs are /Ai-/Ais-Richtersveld, Kgalagadi, Kavango-Zambezi, Greater Mapungubwe (former Limpopo-Shashe), Great Limpopo, Lubombo and Maloti-Drakensberg.

Boundless Southern Africa is the consolidated TFCA brand that was developed by the nine countries. It provides the basis for unifying and consolidating marketing and investments promotion efforts of the TFCAs. Under this brand, a pipeline of 51 bankable investment opportunities was developed. The investment opportunities range from small and medium type lodges to multi million rand developments such as the Kavango-Zambezi waterfront development.

The total value of the project is R785 million. To date projects to the value of R290 million are under negotiation with investors. The presidents signed a scroll of goodwill and conservation. They also unveiled the symbolic monument which was built from rocks collected from each TFCA by the expedition team.

The Boundless Southern Africa expedition was a huge success as it received both national and international media coverage. The expedition team also hosted about five community events in each TFCA. Cabinet ministers from the various countries attended some of these events and provided high level political support for Boundless Southern Africa. The communities who live in and around transfrontier parks benefited from the following humanitarian activities:

* One Net One Life campaign, which was the distribution of mosquito nets in malaria prevalent TFCAs to pregnant mothers and children under five.

* Teaching on the Edge, project which focused on the donation of mobile libraries to rural schools around the transfrontier parks.

* Right to Sight campaign, where reading glasses were distributed to the poor sighted.

* Upgrading of soccer fields and distribution of soccer balls.

* Soccer matches to raise awareness about the 2010 Soccer World Cup.

Future plans for the TFCAs through the Boundless Southern Africa brand include the development of a GARMAP, where each TFCA will have its own Geographic Positioning System (GPS) co-ordinate that will allow tourists to plan their holidays much easier. Another initiative that will continue to create awareness about Boundless Southern Africa and the TFCAs is the launch of a music festival from 24 to 27 September 2009 in Durban, South Africa.

Three years ago, the presidents of the member states opened tourist access facilities (border posts in parks) to allow tourists easier access between the different countries within the parks. The facilities are Sendelingsdrift access facility between South Africa and Namibia in the /Ai-/Ais-Richtersveld TFCA, Giriyondo between South Africa and Mozambique in the Great Limpopo and Mata Mata between South Africa and Namibia in the Kgalagadi TFCA.

For more information on Boundless Southern Africa, please visit http://www.boundlesssa.com

Source: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (http://deat.gov.za/)