Du Plessis, LiezelVan der Merwe, PeetSaayman, Melville2016-06-142016-06-142013Du Plessis, L., Van der Merwe, P., & Saayman, M. (2013). Tourists' perceptions on whether South African national parks are environmentally friendly. Acta Academica, 45(1), 187-208.0587-2405 (print)2415-0479 (online)http://hdl.handle.net/11660/2895English: The increasing number of tourists to South African national parks raises concern about the effect these tourists have on the environment. This article aims to investigate how SANParks manage environmentally friendly South African national parks in order to reduce the impact of tourism on the environment. To examine these concerns, a survey was conducted to measure tourists’ perceptions of the environmental impacts of tourism in these parks. A web-based survey was carried out via the official SANParks website to collect data. The findings of this study will help SANParks to manage the environmental impacts of tourism in the national parks more effectively.Afrikaans: Stygende getalle toeriste wat reis na Suid-Afrikaanse nasionale parke wek kommer rakende die effek wat hierdie toeriste op die omgewing het. Die artikel beoog om ondersoek in te stel na hoe omgewingsvriendelik SANParke bestuur word, sodat die impak wat toerisme op die omgewing het, verminder kan word. Ten einde hierdie kwessie te bestudeer, is ’n opname gedoen om die persepsies van toeriste wat betref die impak van toerisme op nasionale parke in Suid-Afrika te meet. Data is versamel deur middel van ’n opname op die webtuiste van SANParke. Die resultate van hierdie studie sal die bestuur van SANParke help om die impak van toerisme op die omgewing in Suid-Afrikaanse nasionale parke meer effektief te bestuur.enNational parksTourismEnvironmentArticleUniversity of the Free State