South African National Parks (SANParks) has begun implementing a new technologically-advanced system that will improve the facilitation of accommodation and activity bookings.
The internationally-recognised Tourism Property Management System (TPMS) has been in use from Thursday, August 1, at the Golden Gate Highlands National Park and the Addo Elephant National Park.
“The system is a tourism-focused, cohesive and modern software solution that enables SANParks to execute its tourism operations more efficiently and effectively,” it explained in a statement.
The organisation, which manages a system of parks as well as South Africa’s associated cultural heritage sites, added that the TPMS would also improve accessibility, streamline booking processes and create opportunities for new revenue streams.
“SANParks has been facing several technological challenges that inhibited its operations in the tourism, hospitality and property management areas.”
It said these challenges were primarily due to constrained and older IT systems, disparate data silos and the inaccessibility to critical information.
“In turn, these operational efficiencies impair SANParks’ ability to deliver effectively on its strategies and drive revenue growth.”
The new system was introduced following SANParks’s audit of the systems that it had in place.
“TPMS can effectively support business processes in the tourism, hospitality, and property management areas.”
SANParks also warned that the transition from legacy IT systems to a modern TPMS is likely to disrupt some operations at head office and the relevant parks.
“Notwithstanding, all effort will be made to avoid or minimise such impacts,” they said.