Northern Cape Business 2025-26

OVERVIEWTourismAstro-Tourism Strategy takes off.Carnarvon Primary School was the site of the official launchof South Africa’s Astro-Tourism Strategy in September 2024.This followed visits for invited guests to the site ofthe Square Kilometre Array (SKA), the giant radioastronomy site that is at the centre of a vast international scientificeffort, a stargazing event and the somewhat less conventional“SARAO Desert Golf Challenge”. The South African RadioAstronomy Observatory (SARAO) is the entity responsible for allradio astronomy initiatives and facilities, including the MeerKATRadio Telescope and the SKA, which will be the largest radio telescopeever built.Both the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation,Prof Blade Nzimande, and the Minister of Tourism, Ms Patricia deLille, addressed the event. Because of the vast open spaces ofthe Karoo and its location away from noise and light pollution,the area between Sutherland and Carnarvon was chosen many yearsago as ideal for scientific work on the skies – and visitors followed.The Astro-Tourism Strategy will take advantage of that interest in aconcentrated way to boost economic growth in the district throughtourism initiatives.The Northern Cape Economic Development, Trade and InvestmentPromotion Agency (NCEDA) and the Northern Cape TourismAuthority, both entities that fall under the Northern Cape Departmentof Economic Development and Tourism (DEDAT), have merged.The Northern Cape hosts a wide variety of holiday accommodationofferings, ranging from self-catering to some of the country’s mostluxurious resorts.Stretching over 114 000 hectares, Tswalu Kalahari Reserve is thelargest privately protected conservation area in South Africa and is aformally designated nature reserve. The views across the plains fromSECTOR INSIGHTTwo provincial entitieshave merged.the Korannaberg mountainrange are as soothing as theyare remarkable.!Xaus Lodge offersaccommodation within70km of Twee Rivieren in theKgalagadi Transfrontier Park(KTP). Seclusion is ensured afterdriving over 91 sand dunesto get to the 24-bed lodge.The lodge is owned by localcommunities, with supportfrom the Transfrontier ParksDestinations organisation, andthe chalets are designed liketheir own traditional dwellingplaces. Plans are in place fortwo new wilderness campsand for the refurbishment ofthe existing lodge.HotelsCountry Hotels, building on aremarkable expansion projectwhich has effectively coveredthe Northern Cape provinceNORTHERN CAPE BUSINESS 2025/2654PHOTO: SARAO

OVERVIEWover a 13-year period since the first hotel was acquired, is expanding toother parts of South Africa and Southern Africa.A franchise model of owner-operated properties is being adoptedto expand the brand, which currently has 16 properties, all but oneof which are in the Northern Cape. Clanwilliam Hotel in the WesternCape, the first hotel that entrepreneur André Thirion acquired, isthe geographic exception while the Orange River Rafting Lodge isdifferent in a different way. Every other Country Hotels property isaimed at the corporate market while the lodge is a leisure resort.Springbok, near the copper towns of Nababeep and Okiep, has thearchitecturally interesting Springbok Inn and a few miles down theN7 highway is Namastat Lodge, which offers four self-catering cabinsand 25 campsites. Country Hotels also has a presence in Upington,Calvinia, Kathu, Postmasburg and Kakamas where the hotel issurrounded by vineyards. The group’s restaurant group, Badgers Grill,forms part of the franchise package.ONLINE RESOURCESNorthern Cape Tourism: www.experiencenortherncape.comRichtersveld Conservancy: www.richtersveld-conservancy.orgSouth African National Parks: www.sanparks.orgThe Flamingo Casinoin Kimberley is run by SunInternational and offersgaming tables, slot machinesand conference facilities.The Protea Hotel by MarriottKimberley has 117 rooms andthree suites and is locatednext to the Big Hole. Alsonear the capital city’s biggestattraction is the historicKimberley Club BoutiqueHotel. Tsogo Sun has twoproperties in Kimberley: a135-room Garden Court and a64-room budget hotel, SUN1.The riverside town ofUpington has manyguesthouses and bed-andbreakfastestablishments,together with a 90-roomProtea Hotel by Marriott. ■HORSESHOE MOTEL – a Kimberley favouriteThe Northern Cape’s premier conference and function centreCountry elegance, lush gardens and friendly personalservice are hallmarks of the Horseshoe Motel.• Winner of the best conference and wedding centre inthe Northern Cape for four consecutive years.• Close to The Big Hole and the Hoffe Park Stadium.• Safe undercover parking and airport transfers.We are famous for our top-notch pub lunches at the CrazyHorse Restaurant and the ladies’ bar. Guests can enjoy thepool, relax over cocktails or experience a typical NorthernCape BBQ at the Lapa.AccommodationEach of our 63 rooms and two spacious flats, which canaccommodate 168 guests, was designed with maximumcomfort in mind. Air-conditioning, en-suite bathroom withshower, flat-screen TVs with DStv and tea/coffee-makingfacilities are standard room features.Weddings and functionsWe have catered for brides from Namibia all the way to CapeTown. We are affiliated with the best wedding planners andour executive chef always delivers quality. We offer a widerange of services for every occasion from weddings to babyshowers. We are the premier, all-inclusive conference, productlaunch and function centre in the province. Facilities arefully air-conditioned and equipped with TV monitors, videoand overhead projectors, screens and flip charts. Our largestconference facility can accommodate 600 delegates cinemastyleand 350 people classroom-style. With more than 21 100functions/conferences behind us, who can do it better?Contact us: Address: 101 Memorial Road, N12, Kimberley | Tel: +27 (53) 832 5267 | Email: recept@hsinn.co.za