THERE’S EVEN more for lovers of African wildlife in the Eastern Cape following investments by private game lodges. One of the newest reserves is the 16 000 hectare “big five” Kwandwe game park, outside of Grahamstown, which cost R100-million to develop. A further boost has come from a multi-million rand merger between the Shamwari and neighbouring Bayethe reserves outside Port Elizabeth. The combined reserve is designed to compete against big-name reserves like Mala Mala, Sabi Sands and Londolozi in the northern areas of South Africa. In addition to increasing the size of the private reserve to 18 000 hectares, Bayethe adds a luxury tented camp to the existing five-lodges of Shamwari, while visitors to the Bayethe camp will now be able to view lions in their natural habitat. Shamwari boss Adrian Gardiner expects turnover to grow by R5-million, to R50-million a year, as a result of the merger. Shamwari and Bayethe employ more than 300 people. Wildlife tourism is proving to be good business and job creator elsewhere in the malaria-free Eastern Cape. Kwandwe manager and partner Angus Sholto-Douglas says the reserve expects to make a 7.5 per cent return on its investment within three years of opening its doors. This is tangible proof of the growing international popularity of the Eastern Cape as a destination for eco-tourists. Kwandwe has had a more than 80 per cent occupancy rate since opening some in December 2001. Luxury Lodges are also good job creators. Speaking as a guest at the Rhodes University Investec School of Business Sholto-Douglas said Kwandwe was developed out of several farms, and now employs more staff than all the individual farms put together. It offers 24 beds and employs 153 people. It will soon expand by another 12 beds and employ an additional 30 staff, he says. Guests pay roughly R2000 a night, in return for gourmet meals, and guided tours of the reserve to see the rhino, buffalo, lion, elephant and leopard in their natural habitat. Best of all, the Eastern Cape is malaria-free – a selling point, Sholto-Douglas says no local reserve should underestimate. With the Eastern Cape becoming a major eco-tourism destination, Sholto-Douglas is confident it can comfortably carry several ventures like Kwandwe. "We must encourage our tourists to also move eastwards in this province. That area offers both eco-tourism attractions as well as cultural tourism.”