Responsible Traveller mag - edition 1 - 2017

R E S P O N S I B L E edition 1 – 2017

be the difference

TRAVEL in AFRICA • Conservation & Communities • African Responsible Tourism Awards • WTM Africa

w w w. re s p o n s i b l e t rave l l e r. c o. z a

The only 5-star cage diving experience in South Africa. More than just a dive, our biologists share their knowledge & adventures on each trip!

Experience the Marine Big Five in their natural environment.

Focused on the protection of African Penguins & sea birds.

Discover & Protect - in partnership with the Dyer Island Conservation Trust.

www.DICT.org.za

Comment Welcome to another edition of Responsible Traveller.

In this edition we celebrate Travel in Africa...

And more specifically responsible tourism in Africa. A visit to Africa is on many people’s bucket list, with it’s glorious weather, azure blue seas and safari opportunities. Many young people choose Africa for a ‘gap year’ , feeling the need to ‘offer their services’ in some manner. Which is all well and good, if the ‘some manner’ is chosen wisely. The ‘where’, and ‘who with’ needs to be considered even more so. We feature a number of responsible conservation volunteering options and revisit the wise words of the late Paul Mediema about Voluntourism. Paul was a stalwart in this industry and he will be sorely missed, but his legacy lives on in the company and cause he loved... Calabash Tours and Foundation.

Responsible Traveller digital mag has the privilige of once again being a media partner for WTM Africa - and proudly feature it’s Responsible Tourism programme: the speakers and panelists, programmes and topics of discussion as well as the complete Long List of nominees for the African Responsible Tourism Awards. Compiling this edition has once again made me exceptionally proud to be part of this change for good within the tourism industry .

But as I have said on numerous occasions, the responsibility of being a responsible traveller lies ultimately with the person travelling and the choices they make. It’s about choosing to not waste water, to switch off when you leave the room, to stay, shop, experience and eat local... thereby providing employment and contributing to the local economy. By choosing to have conversations with locals and experiencing the ‘real’ destination, you add value and return home with irreplaceable memories.

Enjoy the read… and be the difference.

tessa Magazine Information edition 1 - 2017 Publisher / Editor Tessa Buhrmann Cell: 083 603 9000 tessa@responsibletraveller.co.za Design & Layout Michele Mayer Cell: 082 934 6940 creativelink@mweb.co.za Advertising & editorial enquiries info@responsibletraveller.co.za Digital Subscriptions info@responsibletraveller www.responsibletraveller.co.za

Responsible Traveller Published by Spotted Mongoose Media CC (CK 2008/178482/23) Contact Details P.O. Box 3, Gillitts 3603 KwaZulu-Natal South Africa Tel: +27 31 7674022 Fax: +27 86 542 9615 Publication details Responsible Traveller DIGITAL is published bi-monthly

Cover Image: Sunset, Pafuri Camp pic - Pafuri Camp

Disclaimer Responsible Traveller is published by Spotted Mongoose Media CC. The information provided and the opinions expressed in this publication are done so in good faith and while every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of its contents, neither the managing editor nor the publisher can be held responsible for any omissions or errors; or for any misfortune, injury or damages that may arise. All rights are reserved and no material from this magazine may be reproduced without the written consent of the publishers.

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Contents Regulars: Comment

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Being a Responsible Traveller 06 Travel Tips from the market place 74

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Special WTM AFRICA feature: Responsible Tourism at WTM Africa 2017 26 WTM Africa Responsible Tourism Programme

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African Responsible Tourism Awards

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WTM Africa partners with Just a Drop

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Destinations & Places to Stay: Pafuri Camp... an amazing story of positivity 08 Escape to Brahman Hills 38

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Conservation & Community Profile: International Marine Volunteers 26 Oceans Without Borders 56 African Insight - committed to conservation & communities 47 Zululand Conservation Experience 50 Voluntourism... the issues 60 Abu Camp’s wild elephant herd thrives... 68

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News: Refurbished Spier Conference Centre Greener than ever

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Shamwari Game Reserve joins Fair Trade Tourism

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Parker Cottage & Oyster Bay Lodge join Fair Trade Toirism

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Spay Sisters - doing their thing

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Transfrontier Parks Destinations Fair Trade Tourism certified

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Tourvest now a Fair Trade Tourism Approved Tour Operator

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MTN Bushfire - Create & Sustain

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www.responsibletraveller.co.za 04 responsible traveller

AFRICA’S GREENEST HOTEL...

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Being a

Responsible Traveller

Responsible travel is a way of enjoying the many sights, experiences and memories of the destination you have chosen. It ensures that visitors and local communities alike share the benefits of tourism and travel equally, and it promotes greater understanding of and appreciation for fair and equitable business practice. Responsible travel is about putting back into travel what you get from it, and here are a few considerations that you could make when next you travel.

• Ask to see your tour operator's responsible travel policy.

• Ask to see the environmental policy of the accommodation establishment that you have selected – don’t be fooled by vague and unsubstantiated claims.

• Help the local economy by buying local produce in preference to imported goods.

• Ask your tour operator to establish the extent to which local communities enjoy benefits from your economic spend during your stay at a location.

• If bargaining to buy an item, bear in mind that a small amount to you could be extremely important to the seller – be realistic and fair.

• Realise that often the people in the country you are visiting have different time concepts, values and thought patterns from your own, this does not make them inferior, only different.

• Cultivate the habit of asking questions and discover the pleasure that you can enjoy by seeing a different way of life through others eyes.

• Use public transport, hire a bike or walk where convenient – you'll meet local people and get to know the place far better – always be safe and considerate.

• Use water sparingly – it is precious inmany countries and the local people may not have sufficient clean water – challenge any wasteful practice at your hotel or lodge.

• Switch Something Off – whenever you leave your room, switch unnecessary lights and equipment off and play your part in reducing greenhouse emissions.

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• Don't discard litter when visiting outof-the-way places and attractions, take it with you and dispose of it at your hotel or lodge. Waste disposal is often a major problem at outlying attractions and sites and it leads to litter and unhealthy environments for locals.

• Respect local cultures, traditions and holy places. For example, ask permission before you photograph local people – in some countries it can cause offence.

• Learn more about the cultural experiences that you are exposed to – avoid ‘sound-byte’ tourism and encourage tour operators to provide more insight into the dances, songs and traditionalexperiences that they present to you.

• Do not buy products made from endangered species, hard woods, shells from beach traders, or ancient artefacts (which have probably beenstolen). When visiting gift and curio shops, be aware of the source of the products on sale and if in doubt, don’t buy.

• Read up on the countries you plan to visit – the welcome will be warmer if you take an interest and speak even a few words of the local language.

• When you get home drop your tour operator a note to let them know how you got on.

Essentials: www.heritagesa.co.za www.fairtrade.travel www.trees.co.za www.rhinoafrica.com

words - Sharon Gilbert-Rivett pics - Sharon Gilbert-Rivett / Pafuri Camp

an amazing story of positivity ...

PAFURI CAMP 08 responsible traveller

Walking along the Luvuvhu River

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I

t’s not every day you get to witness a creature’s first steps. The baby zebra is just a few minutes old when we come across it. Still half-covered in its amniotic sac and bewildered as its mother nervously fends off overinquisitive buffalo.

Eventually she settles enough to remove the remainder of the sac, allowing the foal to try and find its feet, located at the end of long, spindly and thoroughly uncooperative legs. Within minutes it is standing, and then walking (albeit with a somewhat wobbly gait) and eventually manages to trot off alongside her into the protective covering of nearby brush.

“Amazing, eh?” says Ezaya Chauke, safari guide extraordinaire, as we make our way back to Pafuri Camp, on the banks of a somewhat swollen Luvuvhu river in the far north of the Kruger National Park. The rains have arrived in spades and the bush is lush and green, packed with birdlife and bursting at the seams with newborns of every shape, size and description.

Ezaya has been guiding for six years, the last 18 months of which have been spent here in the Makuleke Contract Park - a visionary concession within Kruger which is helping to prove beyond doubt the incredible positive impact tourism can have when it comes to helping people and protecting wilderness areas.

On our way back to camp, Ezaya explains that before the rise of apartheid, the Makuleke community of around 500 families were living in the Pafuri region - a triangle of land wedged between the Luvuvhu and Limpopo rivers on the border of what is now Zimbabwe and neighbouring Mozambique. “In 1969 these people were forcibly removed to the Punda Maria area, but in 1998 won a landmark land restitution case which returned ownership of the area to the Makuleke,” he says.

Instead of resettling their land, the Makuleke took the pioneering decision to turn it into a contract park within the Kruger National Park system, managed jointly with South African National Parks (SANParks).

Today, Pafuri Camp is one of four safari lodges operating within the Makuleke concession, all of which are owned by the community, using 10 responsible traveller

‘Instead of resettling their land, the Makuleke community took the pioneering decision to turn it into a contract park within the Kruger National Park system...’

Ellen Manganyi

Ezaya Chauke (L) & Enos Mngomezulu (R)

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Lanner Gorge

sustainable tourism as a means of making good the negative effects forced removal had on lives and livelihoods.

Run by RETURNAfrica, along with Baobab Hill Bush House and Pafuri Walking Trails (which runs from April to October each year), Pafuri Camp employs members of the Makuleke community, providing careers and opportunities in the hospitality industry.

Although still located in a village just outside Punda Maria, the Makuleke people are actively involved in the running of the contract park through their Community Property Association, consisting of representatives who are elected every five years by the community. All of them directly benefit from tourism and all are committed to the concept of conservation and protection of their former home, which is one of the best-kept secrets in South Africa’s arsenal of outstanding safari destinations.

“It’s a beautiful place, isn’t it?” sighs Ezaya as we round a curve in the road back to camp, revealing a verdant plain dotted with wildlife bordered by a dense forest of fever trees.

‘Pafuri Camp is owned by the community and uses sustainable tourism as a means of making good the negative effects forced removal had on lives and livelihoods ...’

Beautiful is something of an understatement as the topography is quite simply breathtaking.

And diverse - from dense mopani woodland, riparian forests and broad floodplains to koppies topped with baobab groves, wetlands and rocky outcrops, there’s an abundance of incredible landscapes. There’s also exclusive access to the impressive Lanner Gorge, where the Luvuvhu has carved its way through layers of bedrock, creating an exceptional canyon frequented by the falcons which have given it its name.

Pafuri Camp has been designed and outfitted to complement and echo the richness of its surroundings. Built to minimise impact on the sensitive environment, it is raised on stilts on the banks of the Luvuvhu, which today is the colour of ochre thanks to heavy rainfall in its catchment area.

Nineteen luxuriousy appointed tents stretch out along the river on either side of lavish communal areas, all with private decks and views out over the water. The dining areas, open air and undercover lounges are all designed to make the most of the surroundings and the lush canopy of trees adds patches of natural shade (a blessing in summertime, when the temperatures can soar!).

Plush loungers and day beds fringe the camp’s pool and sun-worshippers are cooled by non-stop service from the adjacent bar. responsible traveller 13

The river is home to hippos, crocodiles and a rich variety of birdlife, including the rare Pel’s fishing owl. Elephants are frequently spotted in and around camp, which is also home to a resident family of nyala.

It’s also a second home to the team of 36 staff, 33 of whom are from the Makuleke community. “We work six weeks on and two weeks off,” explains Ellen Manganyi, who has been working at the camp since it originally opened in 2005, when it was run by Wilderness Safaris.

“I’ve spent a long time here,” smiles Ellen, who started out as a housekeeper and is now training in camp administration. “Over the years I have progressed, thanks to ongoing education and training in all aspects of running a safari camp,” she explains. “I have experience in front-ofhouse, ran housekeeping, worked in the kitchen and bar and was a supervisor before moving to the office to help with guest liaison. I want to be a manager one day and know I will make this dream a reality,” she says confidently.

Before she joined Pafuri Camp Ellen had been unemployed since leaving school. The professional world is now her oyster thanks to the skills she has developed over the years. “I’ve learned to be strong and independent,” says the mother of two. “And I have a lot of pride in this place and what has been achieved here,” she adds.

Her sentiments are echoed by manager Enos Mngomezulu, who like Ellen joined Pafuri Camp way back in 2005. “I learned to be a safari guide in the Waterberg,” he explains. “I continued with my guiding when I moved here, and I have been a manager for the last year. It’s challenging moving away from guiding, but I am enjoying it tremendously,” he adds.

Enos also highlights another important aspect of his work at Pafuri Camp - that of community role model. “As a community, the Makuleke are a shining example of what can be achieved through sustainable tourism,” he explains.

“We have worked with other communities who are keen to use our business model to create prosperous partnerships in tourism and to develop skills and job opportunities, and in our own community we are looked up to and emulated by our children, who have a future in this industry thanks to us,” he says.

It’s an amazing story of positivity, change for the better and how a simple vision for a sustainable future can change the lives of 14 responsible traveller

countless people while helping to protect a critically valuable wilderness area.

I leave the last word to Ezaya, as we park on the edge of the fever forest watching a small group of elephants grazing peacefully... “Every day is a blessing here,” he says. “Imagine if every safari lodge in Africa worked this way, and how communities would thrive and work hard to protect what we have. Imagine what we could all achieve.” Imagine, indeed. •

www.returnafrica.com

‘Imagine if every safari lodge in Africa worked this way, and how communities would thrive and work hard to protect what we have. Imagine what we could all achieve...’ responsible traveller 15

CONSERVATION PROFILE

INTERNATIONAL marine volunteers

“At International Marine Volunteers our mission is to inspire our volunteers to make a difference in the world around them by providing them with life-changing opportunities and experiences, and creating awareness that eco-tourism, conservation, community, research and education can all dovetail into a sustainable and mutually beneficial relationship.” – Meredith Thornton, IMV Manager 16 responsible traveller

CONSERVATION PROFILE words & pics - Dyer Island Conservation Trust / Marine Dynamics

The legendary great white shark attracts thousands of visitors to Gansbaai, a small town in Western Cape, South Africa. This world renowned hotspot for the apex predator is also home to the International Marine Volunteers programme, known as IMV.

service and responsible practices, most recently winning the African Responsible Tourism Award 2015 in the Best for Wildlife Conservation category. Sister company Dyer Island Cruises conducts whale watching and eco trips, and all trips have a marine biologist on board.

The programme is primarily focused on the Great White Shark working in partnership with Marine Dynamics Tours which established the volunteer programme more than a decade ago.

This award winning shark cage diving company has been operational since 2005, is Fair Trade Tourism certified and renowned for its five star

The IMV Programme has recently joined the Fair Trade Tourism family and offers numerous marine opportunities in the unique Dyer Island ecosystem. Here is the opportunity to work with the Marine Big 5 – the great white shark, the African penguin, the Cape fur seal, whales and dolphins. responsible traveller 17

CONSERVATION PROFILE Volunteers work with tourists and alongside marine biologists studying the great white shark and other species. The volunteers form an integral part of the team and many return repeatedly to work in this unique area. The volunteers have on board duties such as assisting clients and helping collect data yet also enjoy opportunities to cage dive where possible – in fact their first day is just pure enjoyment of the experience. There is some work behind the scenes such as wetsuit washing and helping clients with life jacketswhen everyone pitches in, this goes very quickly.

Volunteers kelp diving

Distinctive V shaped blow of the Southern right whale

The volunteers work on the various conservation initiatives of the Dyer Island Conservation Trust, started by founder Wilfred Chivell in 2006. The Trust is involved with great white shark research and with reliable sightings all year round, research activities include tagging and tracking of great white sharks, behavioural surveys, wound healing, environmental parameter monitoring as well as daily observational data that includes fin identification.

There are also Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUV) studies and the volunteers have the opportunity to assist with the deployment of acoustic monitoring devices. These receivers pick up any tagged sharks and other fish species in the area and this information is used by many scientists to establish migration patterns of various species.

Volunteers recording fin ID’s

The Trust is committed to turning around the possible extinction of the endangered African penguin. The artificial nest project aims to improve the fledgling success of penguins in the wild and volunteers may assist with nest deployment and management. The Trust recently established the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary, a crucial rehabilitation facility, which is just opposite the IMV lodge.

Many volunteers are finding this work rewarding and although the sharks are the basis of the programme, the penguins have captured many hearts.

The Dyer Island Conservation Trust’s Environmental Education Programme known as DEEP works with a dedicated group of young learners and runs for three years to monitor and evaluate the impact and growth of each and every individual learner. The aim is to expose these young learners to the field of science and conservation and serve as a forerunner for future skills training. The volunteers assist with this group and all local community projects.

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The acoustic tagging of a great white shark

CONSERVATION PROFILE

Volunteers help with a shark stranding on the beach

Volunteers attending to a stranded great white that washed ashore

Volunteers help with fishing line project

Volunteers help release penguins on Dyer Island

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CONSERVATION PROFILE

IMV staff with Fair Trade Tourism certificate

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CONSERVATION PROFILE Volunteers also assist with the fishing line bin project and do regular beach clean ups. These marine pollution efforts in the area contribute to international data. The Trust and IMV team is the first port of call for any stranded animals in the area so various opportunities are presented to the volunteers. Where possible dissections of species washed up are conducted as a learning experience for the volunteers. With a special 4x4 vehicle called a Samil the team can head out and have even retrieved a couple of great white sharks that have washed up. Hatched shark egg collection also contributes to an important study for other smaller shark species.

There is a series of talks that include shark biology and behaviour, whale and dolphin biology and research, conservation work, safety at sea and monthly marine evenings with visiting biologists and conservationists are a favourite. A dedicated management team is on hand to coordinate all activities.

Accommodation is at the International Marine Volunteer Center with fully equipped cottages plus a fun communal area with free Wi-Fi, satellite TV, DVD player, board games, pool table and foosball. There is an activity hall with some weights and table tennis. The facility has a large, safe swimming pool and garden. Here they grow vegetables and have a recycling system in place.

There is a specialised beach vehicle for outings.

An aerial view of the international Marine Volunteers base

‘Passionate people want to go where they can make a difference! At Marine Volunteers in Gansbaai, they get to do just that...’

The area and surrounds also offer some great outdoor activities from trips to Cape Agulhas, wine tasting, the Klipgat Caves, zip lining, quad biking among others, which are enjoyed on no sea days. Kelp diving is one of the favourite activities. In fact, volunteers are able to do their NAUI scuba course here too. Sunsets at De Kelders especially in southern right whale season are stunningly beautiful and round off just another perfect day.

Passionate people want to go where they can make a difference! At International Marine Volunteers in Gansbaai, they will get to do just that. •

FOR MORE INFORMATION...

www.marinevolunteers.com www.sharkwatchsa.com www.dict.org.za Email: volunteers@sharkwatchsa.com responsible traveller 21

CONSERVATION PROFILE

WHY VOLUNTEER? ...because “Life is adventure

to be lived, not a problem to be solved”

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My name is Angus Ellsmore, I’m from a town called Picton in the state of New South Wales, Australia. I first did the International Marine Volunteer programme in the months of September, October and November, 2015 and then came back in June, July, August 2016 because I loved it so much! I wanted to do this programme because I was always fascinated about the great white shark and I wanted to see one up close in real life.

I loved everything about the programme, working on the beautiful Western Cape of South Africa with the Marine Big 5™ and making friends all around the world that I still catch up with today. When I came to Marine Dynamics, I learnt so much more about the great white shark! The marine biologists and all the staff were amazing with how much knowledge they have about the great white shark and most importantly how we need to protect them as they play a major role within the ecosystem for other life in the ocean.

The experiences I had working with the marine volunteer programme are something that will stay with me forever. Not many people in the world could say they get up in the morning to dive with great white sharks or see southern right whales migrating up the coastline, it is truly breathtaking! I was truly thankful when I got to work on the research boat with the wonderful marine biologists to do acoustic tagging of great white sharks and I even worked with film crews from Discovery Channel that were filming Shark Week. These opportunities were offered to me because I was there for several months.

Some of my favourite moments in Gansbaai, South Africa were when I was lucky enough to see orcas passing Dyer Island and when I was working on the boat with Discovery Channel we decided to do to a breaching tour as it was late afternoon and prime condition for a good breaching of a great white to happen, we set up the seal decoy and our positions on the boats with our cameras, I was so excited when the shark breached with the sunset and Danger Point lighthouse in the background, it was just so majestic to see.

Diving with great white sharks is something I’ll always love, my favourite day was when I dived with my friend Ben from USA and the visibility was crystal clear that we could see the bottom of the ocean and the sharks swimming on the sea floor and then they would come up to the surface and swim peacefully right in front of us, it was a fantastic experience. Last but not least, the friendships forged with people from the company, from South Africa and the volunteers who joined us from all around the world.

Doing the International Marine Volunteer programme has been the best experience of my life!

To anyone out there around the world that is interested in travelling, loves sharks or any marine life and wants to have the time of their life, then I highly recommend this programme with Marine Dynamics, Dyer Island Cruises and the Dyer Island Conservation Trust because “Life is adventure to be lived, not a problem to be solved”.

“

“

CONSERVATION PROFILE

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What’s news...

Refurbished Spier Conference Centre is Greener than Ever With rising temperatures and water shortages, it’s never been more important for businesses to do their bit for the environment. One of the easiest ways to do so is by choosing meeting venues with rock-solid green credentials.

With its conscious conferencing packages, Spier in the Cape Winelands has long offered sustainably-minded conferencing solutions.

Now, it sets the bar even higher following a R1m refurbishment of its facilities which include 12 meeting venues with varying capacities, including a 430-seater auditorium and three conference rooms which can be used separately or combined to seat 150 delegates.

The upgrade includes the installation of temperature-regulating glass sliding doors at the conference centre’s entrance, soundproof double doors for its auditorium, and the creation of the new Tamboer Lounge, as well as water-saving motion-sensor taps and waterless urinals – adding to the farm’s already 400 water-saving devices.

100% of Spier’s black and grey wastewater is recycled by an eco-friendly treatment plant.

The treated water is then re-used in the winetasting room toilets and for irrigation. The farm’s solid waste is recycled and measured – with only 1,2% currently being sent to landfill (98,8% is recycled on the farm). In addition, organic waste is composted and used on the farm.

Other green initiatives include energy-efficient lighting, filtered tap water bottled in reusable glass bottles, notepads made from recycled paper and pens made from 100% recycled newspaper. Leftover stationery can be donated to surrounding schools.

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Delegates can arrange customised group activities to the Tree-preneurs indigenous nursery, wastewater treatment plant and participate in guided nature walks. Conferences are also invited to work with Spier and the Pack for Purpose programme to make a broader impact in the local community whilst conferencing at Spier.

Sustainability extends to the menu too – with an emphasis on healthy, local and organic ingredients. Spier’s Farmer Angus supplies eggs and chicken – happily reared on pastures without antibiotics or hormones. The farm’s food garden offers seasonal fresh produce grown without the use of fertilisers, pesticides or artificial chemicals.

“Making a positive impact on our environment is embedded into the way we do business,” says Joep Schoof, Spier’s GM. “Our conferencing venues are enabling the businesses and delegates we host to make a difference too.” •

www.spier.co.za

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WTM AFRICA 2017

Responsible Tourism

W

at WTM® Africa 2017

orld Travel Market (WTM) Africa has already exceeded expectations for 2017 through a phenomenal growth in exhibitor attendance, attributed to the overwhelming response and interest in Africa’s fastest growing inbound and outbound trade show, the only trade show of its kind on the African continent. WTM Africa is quickly becoming the leading B2B exhibition for the travel industry in South Africa and Africa alike.

Through consistent effort to have the very best selection of local and international buyers at WTM Africa, this year’s exhibition is set to break records on both the quality and quantity of buyers in attendance.

Building on the US$ 33-million generated in business at WTM Africa in previous years, 2017 will see over 50% of buyers in attendance from major source markets in Europe, while 28% while attend from African countries. Developed and emerging source markets will also be 26 responsible traveller

represented in buyers from the Americas, Asia Pacific, Middle Eastern regions, Australia, China, India, Brazil, Canada and Argentina.

In collaboration with the City of Cape Town, the event will be taking place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) from 19 – 21 April 2017. The three day event programme allows visitors and international buyers time to form integral relationships with exhibitors through the strategic platforms available such as the networking sessions specifically

WTM AFRICA 2017

designed to cater for travel professionals, the world-renowned WTM Africa exhibition and the extensive events programme. The events programme is designed to add value with topical presentations and panel discussions. Many of which, in line with WTM Africa’s commitment to sustainability, revolve around responsible tourism.

A highlight will be the African Responsible Tourism Awards, where heroes of responsible tourism in Africa are honoured for their efforts

REGISTER NOW! responsible traveller 27

WTM AFRICA 2017

WTM® Africa Responsible Tourism Programme Besides being a great space for travel professionals to network, negotiate and discover new products, WTM Africa offers a wealth of opportunities for visitors to learn and engage around the topic of responsible tourism. In keeping with the ethos of the World Travel Market (WTM) brand, WTM Africa seeks to drive the responsible tourism agenda forward through informative seminars and panel discussions thereby spreading sustainable practices and ethical methods within the travel industry.

WEDNESDAY 19TH APRIL 2017 Responsible Tourism - Market Access for Small and Emerging Enterprises Time: 11:30 - 12:15 Venue - Conference Theatre As the demand for experiential tourism grows in the source markets there is an increasing need for destinations to provide a rich diversity of products and experiences. Disintermediation with the growth of sites like TripAdvisor, Airbnb and Viator has eased market access. In this session we shall explore what these trends mean destinations and at the barriers to access which remain to be overcome for small and emerging enterprises.

Moderator: Harold Goodwin, WTM Responsible Tourism Advisor - Harold is Professor of Responsible Tourism Management at Manchester Metropolitan University Harold researches on tourism, local economic development...

Speakers: Enver Mally, Director, African Eagle Day Tours & Chairman of the Board of Cape Town Tourism; Kgomotso Pooe, Director, Soweto Outdoor Adventures

The Seychelles Islands - Nature’s best kept secret Time: 12:30 - 13:15 Venue - Outbound Theatre When there is a pressing global concern for environmental issues such as the adverse effects of climate change, the Seychelles is playing a proactive role as a small island state to uphold eco-tourism at local and regional level.

Speaker: David Germain - Director for Africa & the Americas Seychelles Tourism Board

Transparent environmental sustainability transformation of the tourism industry Time: 12:30 - 13:15 Venue - Press Conference Theatre Environmental sustainability transformation of the tourism industry requires credible, transparent, easy-to-understand and simple solutions that industry participants can adopt without significant human resources and capital investment. Using existing case studies, Leonard will showcase a carbon mitigation solution based on Distributed Ledger (Blockchain) Technology that reduces emissions, creates

Save the Date 18 - 20 April 2018

18-20 April 2018 Cape Town

WTM Africa. Means Business ®

ORGANISED BY:

28 responsible traveller

PART OF:

MEMBER OF:

HOST CITY

WTM AFRICA 2017 differentiated value, builds brand equity and increases market share at no direct cost.

Moderator: Harold Goodwin, WTM Responsible Tourism Advisor

Speaker: Leonard Harley - Group Managing Director, impactChoice

Speakers: Glynn O’Leary, CEO, Transfrontier Parks Destinations; Dr Sue Snyman, Group Community Development and Culture Manager, Wilderness Safaris.

Just a Drop: Sustainable Development in Action Time: 14:30 - 15:15 Venue - Press Conference Theatre Hear how former World Travel Market Chairman, Fiona Jeffery OBE, encouraged the travel industry to give back by setting up international water development charity Just a Drop; which brings sustainable clean water and sanitation projects to communities in need across the globe.

Speaker: Louise Geoghegan, Events Manager, Just a Drop

THURSDAY 20TH APRIL 2017 Responsible Tourism - Sustainable Development Goals Time: 14:30 - 15:15 Venue - Conference Theatre 2017 is the International Year of Sustainable Development through Tourism and tourism is explicitly mentioned in three of the seventeen SDGs which run to 2030. Your panel will explore what the SDGs mean for the travel and tourism sector and share with you their views about how the SDGs can be used by your business or by destinations. How can you best use the SDG? Does it make business sense?

Africa Responsible Tourism Awards Time: 16:30 - 17:15 Venue - Conference Theatre For details see next page...

FRIDAY 21TH APRIL 2017 Responsible Tourism - Cultural Heritage and Tourism in Africa Time: 11:30 - 12:15 Venue - Conference Theatre Africa is the world’s most diverse continent and some of its countries are the most diverse in the world. Unfortunately this diversity has not been successfully conveyed in the way in which Africa has been presented and marketed for tourism.

How can we present Africa’s cultural and natural diversity better and attract more visitors to enjoy and appreciate the rich lived cultural heritage of Africa? There are business opportunities in cultural heritage – come along and find out about them.

Moderator: Heidi van der Watt, ICRT/Better Tourism Africa Speakers: Joa-Anne Duggan, Archival Platform; Iain Harris, Coffeebeans Routes

Join us at WTM Africa 2018 ®

18-20 April 2018 Cape Town

The leading global event. for the African Travel Industry Where Africa Meets WTM Africa is the only trade show of its kind to cater to inbound and outbound buyers and partners Part of Africa Travel Week: 3 Events, 1 Week, 1 City Taking place in the Host City of Cape Town Visit our website for regular updates www.africa.wtm.com Alternatively, call us on +27 11 549 8300 Follow us on: #WTMAfrica

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WTM AFRICA 2017

African Responsible Tourism Awards Heroes of responsible tourism in Africa will be honoured at the 2017 African Responsible Tourism Awards. Following the success of the inaugural event in 2015, this event continues to form part of the prestigious World Responsible Tourism Awards, the world’s most respected responsible tourism awards. Winners of the African awards will automatically be entered into the global awards which take place at World Travel Market in London each November.

With its unique natural and cultural landscapes, Africa offers many opportunities for responsible tourism. Tourism organisations are already growing tourism that preserves, respects and benefits African destinations and African people.

The African Responsible Tourism Awards aims to celebrate the efforts made by individuals, organisations and destinations in Africa. The awards also aim to inspire change in the African tourism industry.

The awards will be presented at a ceremony hosted as part of the Africa Travel Week.

The judging draws on the expertise of carefully chosen professionals from throughout the tourism industry in Africa.

Confirmed judges for 2017: Prof. Harold Goodwin: Emeritus Professor Responsible Tourism at Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) and Founder of the International Centre for Responsible Tourism Adriaan Liebetrau: Sales and Marketing Manager, Sandton, Tsogo Sun Carol Weaving: Managing Director, Reed Exhibitions Dr. Glen Thompson: University of Stellenbosch and BulkSMS Heidi van der Watt: Managing Director, Better Tourism Africa Jacques Stoltz: Board of Trustees, Heritage Association of South Africa Yolan Friedmann: CEO, Endangered Wildlife Trust Meruschka Govender: Blogger, MzansiGirl

Judging Process: As part of the World Responsible Tourism Awards family, the judging process for the African Responsible Tourism Awards is chaired

by HAROLD GOODWIN, Professor of Responsible Tourism at Manchester Metropolitan University, Director of the International Centre for Responsible Tourism and Chair of the main World Responsible Tourism Awards judging panel since its inception.

Great Plains Conservation - Mara Plains

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Darryl Erasmus: Chief Quality Assurance Officer, South African Tourism.

Shamilla Chettiar: Deputy Director-General of Policy and Knowledge-Services, National Department of Tourism Hannelie du Toit: Chief Operating Officer: South African Tourism Services Association (SATSA) Dawn Robertson: CEO, Constitution Hill Jane Edge: Managing Director, Fair Trade Tourism

2017 African Responsible Tourism Awards longlist...

The Longlist for the 2017 African Responsible Tourism Awards demonstrates the power of responsible tourism in Africa.

The competition for the 2017 African Responsible Tourism Awards has moved into the second round, with over 30 tourism organisations competing for top spots at the awards ceremony at WTM Africa in April.

Sponsored by WESGRO and organised by Better Tourism Africa, the awards recognise African organisations that offer a shining example of how tourism can benefit the local people, the environment, and destinations. The awards are part of a family of regional Responsible Tourism Awards which culminate each year with World Responsible Tourism Day at WTM in London.

This year, the longlist names tourism organisations from Mozambique, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, South Africa, Botswana and Namibia. Longlisted organisations compete in seven categories, among them habitat and species conservation, engaging people and culture, poverty reduction and a new category in 2017 - the best responsible event.

“The quality of entries which have made it through to the longlist this year confirms the power of responsible tourism as a force for good in Africa. Each and every one of these organisations is playing an important role in championing responsible tourism. We’ve reviewed the information from the first round entry forms, and are excited about the possibilities,” says Heidi van der Watt, founder of the African awards and director of Better Tourism Africa.

WTM AFRICA 2017

organisations by emailing talktous@ africanresponsibletourismawards.com. Based on all the evidence, the independent judging team, made up of industry experts, will debate the entries and select the shortlist and winners. The shortlist will be announced on 7 April 2017.

The 2017 African Responsible Tourism Awards winners will be announced at a ceremony that will be held on Thursday 20 April 2017 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

The ceremony is part of the responsible tourism programme at WTM Africa, which takes place from 19 to 21 April 2017.

Carol Weaving, Managing Director for Reed Exhibitions, organiser of WTM Africa, says: “WTM Africa is now firmly established on the African travel and tourism event calendar.

Responsible Tourism is a cornerstone of WTM Africa and integral to the success of tourism on the continent. All stakeholders have a duty to ensure education, sustainability, and authenticity when promoting the unique experiences that Africa has to offer. We look forward to an exciting third edition of the African Responsible Tourism Awards, here in Cape Town at the CTICC at WTM Africa.”

www.africanresponsibletourismawards.com

2017 African Responsible Tourism Awards Partners...

The 35 longlisted ourism organisations, initiatives, businesses and projects will now be rigorously questioned and their submissions reviewed by the judging team. Chair of Judges, Professor Harold Goodwin says: “The field for the 2017 African Responsible Tourism Awards (ARTA) is even stronger than previous years – and that takes some doing!

Those longlisted have been invited to complete a detailed questionnaire, we’ll take up references and make some inquiries. On judging day we’ll identify those that demonstrate the difference that taking responsibility can make, and have the capacity to educate and inspire others to be more responsible.”

The general public can also offer support or otherwise for longlisted responsible traveller 31

WTM AFRICA 2017

The 2017ARTA longlist: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

African Bush Camps @BushCampsAfrica African Impact @African_Impact All Out Africa @alloutafrica Basecamp Explorer @basecampexplore Blood Lions™ @Blood_Lions Bushfire @bushfirefest Coffee Shack Backpackers @CoffeeShackBP Damaraland Camp & the Torra Conservancy @WeAreWilderness Gamewatchers Safaris @porinisafaris Great Plains Conservation @GreatPlainsCons Green Girls in Africa @GreenGirlAfrica Ilha Blue Island Safaris @ilhablue.islandsafaris Influence Tours @influencetours Isibindi Africa Lodges @IsibindiAfrica Khaya Volunteer Projects @Khayavolunteers Kwandwe Private Game Reserve @KwandweReserve LEO Africa @LEO.Africa Maasai Olympics @MaasaiOlympic Maboneng Township Arts Experience @MabonengArts Maboneng Township Arts Experience Festival @MabonengArts Mashujaa Peace Walk Panthera Africa @PantheraAfrica Save Foundation @SaltyCrax_SAVE Serena Hotels @serenahotels Simien Lodge @simiens.lodge Tele Bridge Race Sterkspruit Community Art Centre Thanda Safari @Thanda_ The Backpack @thebackpackcpt Tour de Tuli @WeAreWilderness Tzaneen Country Lodge @TzaneenLodge Uniglobe Lets Go Travel @LetsGoTravelKE Uthando @UthandoSouthAfr Warrior On Wheels Foundation @WarriorOnWheels Wilderness Safaris @WeAreWilderness

•

Wildlife ACT @wildlifeact

Tour de Tuli

Kwandwe Private Game Reserve

Isibindi Africa Lodges

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WTM AFRICA 2017 Wildlife ACT

Influence Tours Great Plains Conservation

African Bush Camps Kwandwe Private Game Reserve

Blood Lions

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WTM AFRICA 2017

Categories & Supporters: These categories include: 1. Best Accommodation for Social Inclusionsupported by tbc The Best accommodation for social inclusion is awarded to accommodation providers that create places to stay and work at which are supportive, fair and empowering. This category is for accommodations which work to employ local and marginalised people and achieve shared value with local communities.

2. Best for Engaging People & Culture supported by Transfrontier Parks Destinations The Best for Engaging People & Culture category seeks to shine a light on the best examples of holidays which involve and celebrate local people, traditions and ways of life.

3. Best for Habitat & Species Conservation supported by CapeNature The Best for habitat and conservation category is awarded to a tourism business or initiative that had measurable success in preserving and managing habitat and species.

4. Best Partnership for Poverty Reduction supported by WOWZulu The Best for poverty reduction is one of the longest standing categories of the World Responsible Tourism Awards and African

Isibindi Africa Lodges

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Responsible Tourism Awards. In 2017, the emphasis is on the partnerships that use travel experiences to achieve a measurable reduction in poverty among a local community, and include local and marginalised people – creating economically and socially inclusive forms of tourism provision and shared value with local communities.

5. Best Responsible Event - supported by Bulk SMS The Best responsible event category is for an event that is designed, organised and managed in a way that minimises potential negative impacts and leaves a beneficial legacy for the host community and all involved.

6. Best Responsible Tourism Campaign supported by tbc The Best responsible tourism campaign category is for a campaign from a tourism business or organisation which has successfully championed responsible tourism. This could be a marketing campaign or an advocacy campaign.

7. Best Tour Operator for Impact in Urban Areas - supported by tbc The Best tour operator for impact in an urban area category is for a tourism business with an innovative and successful approach to responsible tourism within cities or urban settlements, using tourism for positive change within cities or urban settlements.

WTM AFRICA 2017

WTM Africa partners with water development charity Just a Drop WTM Africa, which will take place from 19 – 21 April 2017 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), Cape Town, South Africa, has collaborated with international water development charity Just a Drop, in an effort to help raise awareness around the importance of having access to safe water and sanitation.

Just a Drop’s mission is to work with communities around the world by providing sustainable solutions such as through the construction of wells, boreholes, pipelines, hand pumps and latrines, and establish hygiene and sanitation programmes to make a real difference to people’s lives through one focus – delivering safe water and sanitation to where it’s needed most.

The partnership will begin at WTM Africa 2017, using the event to highlight the event’s responsible tourism agenda by supporting Just a Drop’s ‘This Bottle is a Lifesaver’ campaign, where people who give a 20 ZAR donation in exchange for a reusable water bottle will then be entitled to free water refills from various ‘water stations’ around the site. The water stations will be highlighted on a special ‘water map’ and the free refills will be available throughout the duration of WTM Africa.

Fiona Jeffery OBE, Founder and Chair of Just a Drop says, “Our ‘This Bottle is a Lifesaver’ campaign is a very simple way to engage visitors to WTM Africa, whilst highlighting water’s vital role in our lives. Keeping hydrated during a busy exhibition is important, so not only are we providing a valuable service, the funds raised will also go towards ensuring that poorer communities elsewhere in the world will be guaranteed a lasting, reliable supply of water – something we take for granted.”

Just a Drop was founded by Fiona during WTM London in 1998, as a way of encouraging the travel industry to give back to communities around the world.

The charity provides clean water and sanitation facilities to some of the poorest communities across Africa, Asia and Latin America and aims to address the shocking statistic that a child dies every 90 seconds from a water-related disease.

To support the ‘This Bottle is a Lifesaver’ campaign, please visit Just a Drop’s stand located in the Main Galley way during WTM Africa.

www.justadrop.org

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What’s news...

Shamwari Game Reserve joins Fair Trade Tourism’s portfolio Fair Trade Tourism started 2017 with the addition of Shamwari Game Reserve to its portfolio of South African tourism businesses. Shamwari - one of South Africa’s most high-profile and innovative wildlife conservation areas – has marked its 25th anniversary this year by achieving Fair Trade Tourism certification for all eight of its tourism products.

Set on 25,000ha of reclaimed farmland, Shamwari is renowned for its wildlife conservation initiatives and commitment to surrounding communities. In addition to offering a classic wildlife experience, the reserve incorporates the Ian Player Rhino Centre, the Born Free Big Cat Sanctuary and its own Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre with a team of veterinarians on hand.

Shamwari’s six five-star lodges, Eagle’s Crag, Bayethe Tented Lodge, Long Lee Manor, Riverdene Family Lodge, Lobengula and Sarili, its wilderness bush camp, Explorer Camp, and volunteer programme, Shamwari Conservation Experience, were all awarded Fair Trade Tourism certification last week.

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Shamwari Group General Manager, Joe Cloete, says becoming Fair Trade Tourism certified was a logical next-step in the mission to raise awareness of its sustainable tourism initiatives.

“We are proud to be associated with Fair Trade Tourism’s globally recognized brand and to have met the stringent certification criteria,” says Cloete. “We expect this certification will help us to attract conscientious travelers and create greater awareness about our conservation efforts and engagement with communities.”

Fair Trade Tourism Acting Managing Director Jane Edge adds that a number of additional tourism establishments have been audited and are expected to achieve certification in the coming two months. “This includes our first group comprising community-owned lodges, as well as other lodges and city hotels, she says. “We are close to achieving a portfolio of 200 tourism products across eight countries in Africa,” adds Edge. •

www.shamwari.com www.fairtrade.travel Delta

Escape to

brahman hills...

T he second thing I noticed was the sign ‘Recycling Garden’, the walls of rusted corrugated iron and weathered farm implements – the first was the almost life-size Brahman herd ‘grazing’ at the entrance gate. ‘So cool’, I thought to myself… followed by ‘can’t wait to explore’. This set the scene for what was to be weekend of great exploration. Of fabulous food, creative repurposing and some serious spa-time.

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words - Tessa Buhrmann pics - Tessa Buhrmann / Brahman Hills responsible traveller 39

Brahman Hills, owned by avid environmentalist Iain Buchan, is set within the 1,000 hectare Blue Crane Nature Reserve. In 2015 an extensive refurbishment to what was previously the Windmills Resort commenced.

emanating from the raised circular beds – made with recycled bricks, naturally – and fed a nutritious ‘worm tea’ from the worms residing in old bath tubs that were ripped out during the renovation.

At the helm of these refurbishments is Gill Bowmaker, who brings her creative flair and commitment to green initiatives. But with refurbishments comes waste… generally. It is evident that Gill and her team found creative ways to deal with this problem.

A couple of the girls in our group had strict dietary requirements and the Chef’s brief had been ‘low sugar menu please’… move over ‘average’ salad, and welcome ‘culinary art’.

“During the design process, we actively looked for ways to repurpose building materials or elements. For instance, we salvaged the corrugated iron sheeting from the old barn roofs and turned them into privacy screens between units and around the property, which, aside from its practical purpose, creates a wonderful rustic impression as you drive in,” says Gill.

As much as possible was recycled, repurposed or re-used. And where possible building materials were sourced locally – which reduces transport costs, the carbon footprint of getting the materials to site and importantly, supports the local economy. In addition to this, rainfall is collected for use in the gardens and to fill up the dams.

Energy consumption is always ‘biggie’ when it comes to green initiatives, and to reduce this, usage is managed by ‘step up/step down’ technology, while solar energy geysers, combined with a solar harvest field, minimise their electricity consumption for now. “The long term goal is to try and move completely off the grid” says Gill.

The use of as much natural light as possible was incorporated into the design process – large windows, some of them floor-to-ceiling, can be found in The Barn (main hotel area), the Glass House (conference and wedding venue) as well as the Lake House (the beautiful chapel with exquisite views!). And where lighting is required, you can be sure it will be energy efficient and ‘dressed’ to impress.

The unobtrusive sign ‘The Herb & Vegetable garden’ did nothing to convey the epicurean delights we were about to experience.

Delights that were both beautiful to look at and full of nutrition and health. The Brahman Hills Executive Chef and team worked wonders with the organically grown fresh produce 40 responsible traveller

Think a breakfast of chia seeds topped with strawberries, blueberries and raw nuts with macadamia nut butter sauce on the side, a salad (yes, for breakfast) where poached eggs perch comfortably alongside slices of avo, strawberries and banana on a bed of baby rocket and tomato…

And lunch (at the spa), an assortment of salads.

A salad of greens and micro-herbs topped with roasted courgettes a creamy avocado dressing and garnished with edible flowers sits beside a platter of roasted duck slices with baby tomatoes, peppers and rocket, garnished with the pretty lilac flowers of wild garlic. And bubbly of course!

It’s so good to know that guests with dietary requirements can be accommodated, albeit understandingly at an additional cost – which would obviously need to be arranged in advance.

That evening we headed to 89 on Copper for dinner… for the wine pairing menu. The cream of kohlrabi soup (freshly picked that morning) was delicious, next was a beautifully tender and tasty lamb shank with wholegrain mustard mash followed by a decadent tiramisu served with delicious pistachio nut ice-cream.

Copper, as the name would suggest, has a warm glow with exposed brick, untreated wood and yes, copper, is found hidden within the nooks and crannies of the cellar.

No visit to Midlands would be complete without stepping out into nature. And after another healthy ‘Stacy inspired’ breakfast – this time at the Agility Hub, a repurposed farm shed used for housing cattle, now stylishly adapted to allow for a wide range of events – we set out for a lengthy hike through the Blue Crane Nature Reserve. Here the rolling hills are home to a herd of Brahman cattle and an abundance of wildlife, including zebra, eland, red hartebeest and even endangered Oribi antelope.

Chia seeds

Breakfast salad

Salad of greens and micro-herbs

Cream of Kohlrabi soup

Tasty lamb shank

69 on Copper responsible traveller 41

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‘The rolling hills are home to a herd of Brahman cattle and an abundance of wildlife, including zebra, eland, red hartbeest and even endangered Oribi antelope...’ responsible traveller 43

Checking out a rhino rubbing post

Šroxannereid.co.za

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One really cool conservation initiative is the porcupine recovery scheme. Partnering with wildlife charity Free Me, Brahman Hills gives a home to injured or abandoned animals.

Every evening the Porcupine Restaurant hosts anything up to about 30 of these nocturnal creatures to vegetable offcuts from the kitchen.

Even they get to appreciate the produce of the herb and vegetable garden, albeit without the Exec Chef’s creative flair.

Now there’s nothing like a good rub down after excessive exercise. And nothing quite like an afternoon of pampering at the Spa at Brahman Hills! The space that is now the Spa was once the location for a ‘spa’ of a different kind - it was where race horse patients would come to Winks Green, a pioneer in ‘equine body work’, and renowned for her ‘horse healing’ techniques. A different time and a renovated space, but ‘body work’ nonetheless.

The Spa blends unassumingly into the landscape with its rough stone walls and recycled corrugated iron sheeting and a suspended walkway leads us towards the front door – I notice more of the trademark corrugated iron. This time it forms the ripples for a water feature, I pause momentarily enjoying the relaxing sound.

We started with bubbly and a light light lunch in the ‘bridal suite’ - a private room perfect for special occasion treatments. “Which mineral salts would you like?” we were asked… lavender, chamomile and sandalwood for relaxation, sleep problems, headaches stress and anxiety sounded like a good one for me.

The Spa uses all natural, handcrafted products, offering an exceptionally sensory experience.

The exquisite scent of essential oils permeates the building. I was looking forward to this!

A full-body exfoliation was followed by a lengthy soak in a tub with said bath salts.

Relaxed and at ease with the world I watched the weather change from sunshine to clouds and finally thunderstorm and rain. It didn’t matter. I was safely ensconced in my fluffy blue gown, a mug of deliciously decadent hot chocolate by my side and my toes in the expert hands of local girl and qualified beauty therapist, Thelma. • Collecting insects

www.brahmanhills.co.za responsible traveller 45

What’s news...

Parker Cottage & Oyster Bay Lodge certified by Fair Trade Tourism Fair Trade Tourism’s portfolio has been given another boost with the new certifications of a leading Cape Town establishment and a four-star beach lodge on South Africa’s Garden Route.

Parker Cottage B&B and Oyster Bay Lodge have taken their commitment to sustainable tourism to world-class level by becoming Fair Trade Tourism certified, meeting the organisation’s stringent set of more than 200 criteria which are verified by a third-party audit process.

Parker Cottage in Cape Town’s Tamboerskloof is the fifth establishment in the Mother City to become Fair Trade Tourism certified. Owners Phil Rendel and Liz Sayigh acquired the 1895 Victorian cottages in 2008 and set about establishing the business as an elegant, affordable, and responsible tourism option.

Parker Cottage offers co-finance for the education of staff members, provides hands-on support to social upliftment and educational programmes, sources products and services from local entrepreneurs, and runs its business to ensure minimal impact on the environment. It also occupies the top spot on Trip Advisor’s listing for central Cape Town.

“One of the main reasons we left academia and went into business was to make a meaningful change in the lives of South Africans through employment and personal development,” says owner Phil. “We’ve been working on the principle of fair trade since we opened but it’s the formal recognition of our efforts, through a globally recognised brand, and the assistance in formulating our policies, contracts and agreements that has really made the difference to us,” he adds.

www.parkercottage.co.za

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Oyster Bay Lodge, tucked away on a 235ha coastal reserve close to St Francis Bay in the Eastern Cape, is the tenth establishment to be Fair Trade Tourism certified this year. Spanning a range of different biomes from beaches and sand dunes to forests, wetlands and lagoons, the reserve boasts extensive birdlife and is home to 20 free-roaming horses.

The four-star Oyster Bay Lodge not only maintains this biodiverse environment, but also has invested in energy saving initiatives and provides financial, infrastructural and practical support to projects in the local township of Umzamowethu.

“We looked at a number of certification schemes and opted for Fair Trade Tourism due to its global credentials”, says owner and Managing Director Hans Verstrate “We are very happy to have achieved such a high standard of responsible tourism recognition.”

“Oyster Bay Lodge is excited to be part of Fair Trade Tourism,” adds Operational Manager Claire Kloka. “ We now have a clearer understanding of being sustainable and fair, which was one of the main reasons we committed to the certification process.”

“Parker Cottage adds tremendous value to Fair Trade Tourism with its location right in the heart of Cape Town,” says Fair Trade Tourism Managing Director, Jane Edge. “It’s work with communities and dedication to ethical procurement principles are exemplary. We’re also very pleased to welcome Oyster Bay Lodge, with its commitment to preserving a sensitive coastal environment and its support of local township projects.” . •

www.oysterbaylodge.com www.fairtrade.travel

CONSERVATION PROFILE

African Insight…

committed to conservation & communities words - Tessa Buhrmann / pics African Insight responsible traveller 47

W

CONSERVATION PROFILE

hen I ask Andrew Anderson, director and owner of African Insight, why he does what he does, his response is pretty much what I would expect from someone as passionate about conservation and the natural environment as he is.

His answer is simple, “to enrich lives by creating unique interactive South African experiences which are fun, affordable, sustainable, and promote the diverse natural, historic and cultural heritage of our country.”

In addition to this he tells me about African Insight’s commitment to tourism that doesn’t impact negatively on local people and fragile ecosystems, but instead inspires travellers to respect and conserve our planet for future generations. He then tells me how they are constantly developing creative new adventure travel opportunities in South Africa to achieve their mission. And that their aim is to facilitate and uphold the objectives of Responsible Tourism through the establishment of vital partnerships, which provide benefit to local communities and support projects involved in environmental and biodiversity conservation.

“We work in partnership with a variety of established credible partners in delivering various aspects of our program. The success of our business is related to how we connect with people.

Our entire team shares the African Insight vision, and desire to reach out to people and share with them their passion for South Africa’s people, wildlife and wilderness areas. Our guides are the backbone of our business and are all highly experienced and qualified.”

“South Africa is an amazing location for educational field trips” Andrew says, “particularly those based on personal developments, adventurous activities, wildlife, biodiversity, conservation, environmental studies, agricultural, anthropology, archaeology, developing world economies and sustainable tourism, to name a few.”

African Insight specialises in academic field trips for tertiary education institutions, and youth development programmes for secondary schools.

“The aim is to take these groups of youngsters on 48 responsible traveller

a journey of discovery, which will enrich not only their own lives but those of the communities they meet along the way.” The combination of Africa’s best wildlife destinations, oldest wilderness areas, vast open spaces, diverse landscapes, vibrant traditional cultures and first world infrastructure, makes South Africa ideal for creating the opportunity for potentially life changing travel experiences.

These programmes can be ‘pieced together’ into a life-changing South African adventure, tailored to match the group’s aims and objectives. One of these is an authentic cultural homestay where participants get to live within a community and work alongside them on a project that has been jointly selected. The community pledges ‘sweat equity’, the participants fundraise for the project

CONSERVATION PROFILE

‘One of these is an authentic cultural homestay where participants get to live within a community...’ and together the project is undertaken and completed. Others programmes have a conservation and wildlife element, or a more academic aspect.

Another option for the adventurous traveller wanting to see Southern Africa through local eyes’ is to travel with African Insight on a ‘Go Wild Adventure’. Being committed to responsible tourism, they ensure that travellers tread lightly and truly enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing their holiday will not negatively impact on local communities and environments and will maximise the local economic benefits to the communities and regions visited.

Go Wild Adventures include: Wild Coast Hike - This rugged and scenic region stretches for 270km from the Great Kei River to

the boundary between the Eastern Cape and Natal. The Wild Coast has become the graveyard of many vessels, but none more than those belonging to the early Portuguese navigators. Known as the pearl in the crown of the Eastern Cape, the Wild Coast forms part of the former Transkei homeland, and much of the area is rural South Africa in its true essence.

The Wild Coast remains a relatively untouched paradise in South Africa. It is an eco-haven of unspoilt stretches of coastline, open spaces and pristine indigenous coastal forest areas, guaranteeing a wonderful and exciting holiday.

And the Zululand Conservation Experience... ... continued on the next page. responsible traveller 49

CONSERVATION PROFILE

ZULULAND Conservation Experience

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CONSERVATION PROFILE Telemetry being explained

T

words - Tessa Buhrmann pics - African Insight

his hands-on conservation volunteer programme covers two unique conservation areas located in the Zululand and Maputaland regions of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and the seaside village of Ponto do Ouro in Mozambique. This region falls within one of the top 21 Hot Spots for biodiversity on Earth and this unique programme is designed so that participants can make a meaningful contribution to wildlife conservation whilst enjoying a varied and thrilling adventure. responsible traveller 51

CONSERVATION PROFILE After arriving in South Africa participants transfer to Somkhanda Game Reserve where they have the unique opportunity to contribute to the conservation of endangered and threatened wildlife species by doing practical fieldwork that will make a difference.

This is a unique programme which is aimed at adventurous travelers who are looking for a “Science on Safari” experience where they will be actively involved in meaningful wildlife conservation work. They will be working alongside conservationists collecting field data needed to make crucial wildlife management decisions on the game reserve. Although not an extreme experience, participants will need to be early risers, physically active, capable of climbing on and off the back of vehicles and tracking animals on foot for up to 5-10km through the African bush, possibly spending most of the day in the field.

After Somkhanda they drive over the Lebombo Mountains to the remote Tembe Elephant Park where, from their accommodation at Royal Thonga Lodge, they will explore one of South Africa’s truly wild Big 5 game reserves. This unique experience compliments the Somkhanda experience with a Big 5 safari experience. This remote park lies on the border between South Africa and Mozambique, where over 250 of the largest elephant in the world roam. Here they will enjoy unlimited safari drives in their own private safari vehicle with guide.

Rounding off the experience they enjoy three nights at seaside resort village of Ponto do Ouro in Mozambique for a completely different beach and marine life experience. Ponto Do Oura is renowned for its sandy beaches, coral reefs and opportunities for some of the finest snorkelling and dolphin encounters. All these experiences are booked on arrival and for their own account. Everything in Ponta do Oura is within walking distance of their private guest house accommodation.

THE PROGRAMME DAY 1: Arriving in the late afternoon there is an opportunity to unpack before departing on an optional early evening game drive before dinner.

DAYS 2 – 7: Wildlife Monitoring & Conservation Working in small groups their daily programmes will start with either a bushwalk aimed at providing a broader appreciation and 52 responsible traveller

CONSERVATION PROFILE

Talking dung...

‘This is a unique programme which is aimed at adventurous travellers who are looking for a ‘Science on Safari’ experience...’

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CONSERVATION PROFILE Learning about the Euphorbia tree on a game drive

A darted rhino being de-horned

Checking out a rhino rubbing post

Collecting insects

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CONSERVATION PROFILE knowledge of the basics of tracking, bird, mammal, insect identification which will enhance the experience or one of the following wildlife conservation projects: Rhino monitoring - Due to the significance of the species rhino monitoring is an ongoing project on Somkhanda with many of the animals having been fitted with radio tracking devices. Students will accompany the reserve’s rhino monitors into the field on their daily routine. Information gathered from rhinos includes general health, associations with other animals and off spring, movement, home range plotting, feeding preferences etc.

Investigating the little critters Guided bush walk

Camera Trap Surverying - Students will accompany experienced monitors as they check camera traps, changing batteries, downloading data and sorting through photographs. The objective of the camera trap survey method is to monitor a variety of species and known individual animals to assess their physical condition, the presence of calves and associations between individuals, with a focus on the more elusive black rhino and leopard.

Game Population Monitoring - Estimating game numbers on a reserve like Somkhanda can prove challenging – the roads are very rough and difficult to traverse, the vegetation is dense in many places and the topography is very hilly. In this exercise students will work in pairs stationed in a blind at a waterhole for a predetermined period to count game species as they arrive to drink. Details to be recorded will include the species, age class and sex.

Generally, the projects require a full morning of field work and depending on the programme lunch might be back at the lodge or a picnic out in the reserve. Returning to camp in the afternoon there will be a relaxation period before analysing the data or capturing it on the computer. Once the work is over there is the opportunity of packing a few cold refreshemnts into an icebox and heading out into the reserve on a safari or to find a quite spot to enjoy the sunset.

DAYS 8 & 9: Tembe Elephant Park (Royal Thonga Lodge) A scenic two hour transfer takes participants over the Lebombo Mountains (once home to the well known author of King Solomon’s Mines – Ryder Haggard) and into Maputaland, home of the Tembe Elephant Park and other unique wildlife adventure destinations. responsible traveller 55

CONSERVATION PROFILE Diving at Ponto do Ouro

From their safari lodge, participants spend these two days exploring this truly wild park which is only accessible by 4x4, and offers the greatest diversity of wildlife in KwaZulu-Natal including the Big 5 - lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo, as well as Africa’s smallest antelope the Suni.

DAYS 10, 11, 12 & 13: Ponto do Ouro – Mozambique (Gala Gala Eco Lodge) It is a relatively short trip to the Mozambique border where participants will leave their vehicle and be met on the other side by transport provided by their host. The drive from the border to Ponto do Ouro is an adventure in itself! On arrival, they will meet their host, enjoy a light lunch and settle into their rooms.

For this last section of the trip, participants can choose to relax on the beach, book snorkeling and dolphin excursions with their hosts at Gala Gala. It is safe to explore the village’s extensive 56 responsible traveller

informal market and many souvenir shops by foot, making sure to take reasonable precautions for personal safety.

Breakfasts and dinners are included and will be arranged either at the guesthouse or on occasion at a typical Mozambican Restaurant in town. Lunches are for the guest’s own account and can be enjoyed at any of the many unique restaurants the village has to offer.

DAY 14: Return to King Shaka International After a very early breakfast, participants pack up and depart for the border control to arrive as it opens to make the journey back to OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg/ King Shaka Airport Durban for the return flight home. •

www.africaninsight.co.za

CONSERVATION PROFILE Royal Thonga Lodge

‘participants can make a meaningful contribution to wildlife conservation whilst enjoying a varied and thrilling adventure...’ responsible traveller 57

What’s news...

Spay Sisters - Doing Their Thing Southern Mozambique has become a playground for many South Africans who came back in their droves after the war ended in 1992. Along with a burgeoning tourism industry comes the expansion of towns like Ponta do Ouro, whilst with its promise of employment, has invited a plethora of other problems. One of them being a collection of beach or stray dogs that take ownership of the beach, especially in Ponta do Ouro.

The gazebos seem to have a banded deal – rent one and get a beach dog – often two or three.

These will be your companions for the day and they will fiercely guard their temporary shelter. Their parentage is quite distinct. A virile Ridgeback has left his mark on many a young pup, whilst a brindle lad also seems to have romanced on the seashore.

Communities have spread deep into the historically uninhabited sand dunes and they are battling with increasing numbers of cats and dogs, which they sometimes cannot afford to feed, or just do not have the inclination to do so.

Protect Ponta was founded in 2010 by Caron Grant Hean and Shannon Hodgson Mathie.

They recognised a desperate need to help dogs and cats in these rural coastal towns and try to conduct clinics every 6 weeks to stay on top of the animal population and offer the local community a consistent and reliable veterinary service. This outreach program promotes pet education and the dogs and cats are sterilized, immunized against rabies, protected against fleas and ticks and dewormed. Regular drives through social media (Facebook: Protect Ponta) are done to encourage travelers to bring dog food through to various feeding points. The project survives purely on donations.

In February 2017 Protect Ponta volunteers organized the logistics to host the Spay Sisters -10 vets from the UK. They were assisted by five student vets from Maputo. Free clinics were offered in Ponta do Ouro, Malongane, Mamoli and Zitundo. Close to 400 animals were attended to and vaccinated for rabies and 293 cats and dogs were sterilised in a two week period.

This formidable group of ladies saved their pennies and gave up their holidays to come to Mozambique to make a difference. The team was led by Ella Stekly who started up Spay Sisters in 2006 with two friends. The list of their tours looks like an exotic travel brochure, but not all stays 58 responsible traveller

have been blessed with luxury. They have stayed in buildings with gaping holes, no doors and sometimes no sanitation. Ella stressed that they do not expect to be treated like princesses, and their focus is to make a difference to the number of animals in the location they visit.

Their first venture was Gili Trawangan, a tiny island off Lombok (Indonesia) with a circumference of 8km and an enormous overpopulation of cats.

Since then they have been to Madeira, Sao Tome, Sri Lanka, Sierre Leone, Israel, Lesotho, New Caledonia, Cyprus and now Mozambique. They come armed with meds that they either buy or twist an arm for donations. In return they expect the clinics to be arranged, animals willing and ready to be attended to, accommodation and Sharon Heard... known as the ‘Dog Catcher’

What’s news... to be fed and watered. They are a lively bunch, excellent company and totally committed to their cause. They performed their clinical duties tirelessly and once they got into the swing of things there was no stopping them.

It was an absolute privilege to host the Spay Sisters, and we were able to show them some warm South African/ Mozambican hospitality thanks to the generosity of many folk who donated meals and groceries. It was not all work and no play and they enjoyed a scuba excursion with Oceana in Ponta plus a dolphin swim with the Dolphin Centre. •

Words - Lois Kuhle – Protect Ponta volunteer.

Pics - www.alannixonphotography.com

www.protectponta.com

RT NOTE: The Dolphin Centre crew are unwavering in our dedication to the sustained conservation of our magnificent surroundings. We promote Responsible Marine Mammal Tourism and apply a strict rule of NO Touch to any marine mammal or marine life encounter while on our excursions.

One of our dolphin facilitators on board the boat will always assess the dolphin pod behavior before any interactions can take place. In-water observations are solely dependent on the natural behavior of the dolphins. In the event of the dolphins showing avoidance behavior, a “NO Water Entry” Policy is adopted.

The Spay Sisters

Five vet students from Maputo assisted the Spay Sisters responsible traveller 59

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Voluntourism ... the issues the thoughts and words of Paul Mediema

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W

hile many have celebrated the merging of service to others and its development with tourism, some criticisms have emerged, and correctly so. Things can get complicated when ‘for profit’ businesses get involved in eco or community based projects. Environmental and social sustainability are easily sacrificed at the altar of blatant greed in the tourism industry, which already has a global reputation for being brutally profit oriented at the expense of the environment and communities. Why should Volunteer tourism be any different?

RT NOTE: The tourism industry, both locally and internationally, received the news of Paul Mediema’s unexpected passing with much sadness – this passionate man who stood for so much taken too soon.

Written below are his thoughts and words… as an industry let us continue to ‘do’ tourism, and volunteering specifically, in a manner that he would have been proud of. And let us continue to support the real, authentic, and ethical experiences that Calabash Tours continues to offer.

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The Issues - Negative Impacts There are two primary areas of concern when looking at this boom in volunteering. The first is the issues relating to legal compliance, and this is an issue within any sector in tourism. We have seen over the years, as South Africa takes up its place in the market, more and more self-regulation.

Violations among companies hosting volunteers include issues such as using game vehicles on public roads without permits, operating without sufficient passenger and public liability insurance, not having risk assessments in place, not having emergency procedures in place etc. The result of this is that when something does go wrong, or someone is injured, the operator has no plan, and the end result is a very poor reflection on the destination.

Far more contentious are the potential negative impacts for communities and the environmental or conservation projects‌ and the blatant exploitation of well-wishing volunteer travellers.

What is of interest is that when booking a holiday, clients will ask for all kinds of details about where they will stay, the kind of transport, hotel etc.

However, for some unscrupulous operators, they sell a smoke and mirrors volunteer placement, talking vaguely about money into communities, the cost of research etc, obscuring the details, and making the volunteer feel uncomfortable about asking pointed questions.

So, like in any other travel transaction, there needs to be an education of the consumer. They need to be encouraged to ask questions. There should be clarity about how much money goes where.

Too often volunteers are told money goes into the community, only to be horrified when they find out 75% of the money stayed with the UK or US based agent!

To use Calabash Tours as an example, volunteers are told exactly how much money goes to the placement agency, how much money goes to transport, accommodation, project management, and finally exactly how much goes to the project.

Furthermore, our volunteers, in consultation with

the project, identify how the money is used. For host communities, there are a number of issues that need to be considered in order to minimise negative impacts. A common occurrence is that communities, who are often eager for assistance, and vulnerable, are bullied or exploited by volunteer service providers.

An example would be when a project receiving volunteers has little say in the number of volunteers placed. This is not unusual. Very many of the source market agents will sell you a placement over the phone, or internet, as long as you have that credit card handy. The result is sometimes a school with 10 or 12 GAP year volunteers hanging around with little to do other than get in the way of work being done. I have witnessed this in the townships of Port Elizabeth.

Community projects, be it schools, or community projects need to have the final say in who gets placed. Informed consent is critical. Otherwise who is being served? An oversupply of volunteers leads to a poor volunteer experience, for both volunteer and community.

Another common problem is in how community needs are assessed. And whether individual volunteer skills are matched to community needs.

Calabash Tours is not a believer in one size fits

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all volunteer programmes. I believe skills need to be matched to projects. And I have serious doubts about certain volunteer projects that require no skill, but only labour. Lets face it, we have an unemployment rate of 40%, so cheap labour is not required – especially if it only serves the interest of someone who comes from a well resourced country to have an ‘experience’.

Volunteer programmes cannot be allowed to exist at the expense of local communities or local interests.

Locally based volunteer placement agencies need to be assessing needs in the community on an ongoing basis. Needs in development change, community needs are dynamic, so to have a placement that never changes reflects a lack of on-going needs analysis. Are the locals served by the project asked for input around the placements? And what is the capacity of

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the local project to manage volunteers. These are important questions, which if ignored, result in negative, destructive, and sometimes irreversible impacts.

Another sensitive but critical issue is the screening of volunteers. We work with children in poor communities, and with vulnerable adults. What is the potential negative impact if we allow a sexual predator into that community or project? Not all volunteers come with pure intentions. We take our work placements seriously, so seriously that we want references from you before you come. And we check them, or rather our placement agency does. In the UK and many other countries to work with youth as a church leader, scoutmaster, soccer coach, whatever, you need a criminal screening. Why must we accept less in South Africa or other developing countries?

Positive Impacts…

Despite these potential negative impacts a well prepared, screened, skilled volunteer can make a tremendous positive impact in host communities.

Our own experience has been that skills transfer, capacity building, as well as physical infrastructure can be provided by volunteer placements.

Furthermore, well-run volunteer placements can develop a level of social interaction and understanding that is profound. It can result in the humanising of poverty, it can give a face to poverty and vulnerability that is real, and lead to a sense of a shared humanity.

It is often a life changing experience for the volunteer. An experience that shapes purpose and belief, and can shift consciousness towards the understanding of a shared humanity. It can, and does, lead to an understanding of our interconnectedness as people. This is a fundamental value of sustainable development.

It also can lead to a good understanding of community needs that in turn leads to effective travellers philanthropy. Again, our own experience attests to this. Volunteers who have been well managed and have developed an understanding and a confidence in a community project where they have worked, are in a good position to go back to their own communities and leverage resources to the advantage of the community or project. The fact that it is based on a real understanding of needs is often a critical success factor.

As a destination we offer tremendous scope for volunteer placements. As Calabash we see this as a potential growth area, and one we will pursue.

The market is large, and while competitive, South Africa offers the diversity of community, eco and marine opportunities of volunteer tourism few countries can match. However, if we do not self regulate this sector, the real threat exists the destinations will become stigmatised as an unethical, exploitative one. This would be a great loss, both to the tourism industry, as well as the many good projects currently benefiting from it. “volunteers are told exactly how much money goes to the placement agency, how much money goes to transport, accommodation, project management, and finally exactly how much goes to the project” “Community projects, be it schools, or community projects need to have the final say in who gets placed. Informed consent is critical. Otherwise who is being served?”

“It is often a life changing experience for the volunteer. An experience that shapes purpose and belief, and can shift consciousness towards the understanding of a shared humanity.

It can, and does, lead to an understanding of our interconnectedness as people.

This is a fundamental value of sustainable development.” • words - Paul Miedema

www.calabashtours.co.za NOTE: First published in Responsible Traveller mag October 2014

CALABASH TOURS was started in 1997 and was created to cater for tourists who wanted to experience true urban Africa where we could offer them the opportunity to visit townships and meet the locals. Our company is unusual in its approach to unlocking parts of the country often made inaccessible by ethical and safety concerns, and pre conceived ideas.

Steeped in responsible tourism and pro-poor tourism thinking, our ground breaking approach allows visitors to access, understand and appreciate the social history of the people, their day to day experiences of being black South Africans during apartheid, as well as during our emergence as a democracy. Our experiences are real, authentic, and ethical. We are proud to confirm that our township visits are accredited by FAIR TRADE TOURISM SOUTH AFRICA. This guarantees the visitor that communities benefit, are involved in decision making, and are more than happy to welcome you to their communities.

Calabash Tours specializes in township tours. Our Real City Tour will give you an authentic feel of the diversity of the townships. We offer daily Shebeen Tours, tours to Addo National Park as well as our exclusive Untold Stories Tour which is an intimate tour to our storytellers’ own homes.

WE AT CALABASH WILL STRIVE TO CONTINUE THE GOOD WORK PAUL STARTED, BY LETTING HIS LEGACY LIVE ON. responsible traveller 65

What’s news...

Leading community-focused tourism group becomes Fair Trade Tourism certified Transfrontier Parks Destinations (TFPD), South Africa’s leading group focused on promoting community-based tourism, has become Fair Trade Tourism certified.

The group, which is headquartered in Cape Town, launched in 2004 with a mission to manage community-owned properties in transfrontier parks and adjacent conservation areas. Since inception, responsible tourism and conservation has been at the heart of its operating ethic.

Today TFPD’s South African portfolio includes 12 community-owned lodges and camps, situated in geographically disparate and ecologically diverse locations. The group only manages one privately-owned property – a boutique guesthouse outside Cape Town.

The group’s four lodges in South Africa include: - The four-star !Xaus Lodge in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, which is owned by the Mier and Khomani San communities. !Xaus won a silver award for Poverty Reduction at last year’s World Responsible Tourism Awards.

- Awelani Lodge, situated close to Kruger’s Pafuri gate in a 1,700 hectare nature reserve, which is owned by the local Mutele community.

- Nahakwe Lodge in central Limpopo, which is owned by the Mamaila Kolobetona community.

- Witsieshoek Mountain Lodge in the Maloti Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation Area, which is owned by the Batlokoa community of QwaQwa. !Xaus Lodge

TFPD CEO Glynn O’Leary said local communities were custodians of many of the country’s most remarkable natural and cultural assets. “These have the potential to become enduring tourism attractions if managed and marketed with a responsible ethos,” he said.

“We’ve been partnering with local communities to manage and market their properties for more than a decade, driven by the desire to see sustainable jobs created and for these communities to have the opportunity to participate fairly in the tourism economy,” he said.

“Fair Trade Tourism certification enables us to ensure we are doing the right things for our communities, while the brand recognition helps us persuade responsible travelers that our properties are great places to truly experience South Africa’s culture, wildlife and wilderness areas.”

www.tfpd.co.za www.fairtrade.travelDel

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!Xaus Lodge

What’s news...

Eight rustic camps in Limpopo form part of the African Ivory Route, aimed at the adventurous responsible traveler. Also owned by local communities, they are spread through Limpopo, with the majority located along the Western side of Kruger National Park.

Four safari and adventure camps include: - Mtomeni in Letaba Ranch and Mutale Falls in Makuya Park, both unfenced from Kruger National Park.

- Modjajdi, near Tzaneen, - Baleni at the Sautini Natural Hot Spring near Giyani; - Fundudzi near the inland lake of Fundudzi; - Blouberg at the foot of the Blouberg Mountains north of the Waterberg

- Nthubu in the Masebe Reserve, which contains plains game.

- The remote Mafefe camp above the Lekgalameetse reserve.

Four cultural camps, closely associated with local traditional communities who provide an insight into their lives and crafts, include:

- Moonglow Guest House, the group’s only privately owned property, is located in Simonstown in the Western Cape. •

ta A lwoman from the local community at Baleni

Witsieshoek Lodge in winter Awelani Lodge

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CONSERVATION PROFILE

Abu Camp’s

wild elephant herd thrives with a new addition

T

he success of Abu Camp’s elephant reintroduction programme in the Okavango Delta, Botswana continues to thrive with the birth of a new calf to its wild herd. The elephant cow, Gikka, was seen with her one-month-old calf at the end of February – her third calf since she and her daughter Naya were introduced into the Okavango Delta from the Abu Herd in July 2011. words & pics - Wilderness Safaris 68 responsible traveller

CONSERVATION PROFILE Members of the Abu wild herd

Abu Camp has never lost sight of its vision to return previously-captive elephants to the wild, an aspect that forms a key part of the Abu elephant programme. In partnership with renowned NGOs, such as Elephants For Africa and Elephants Without Borders, eight members of the Abu Herd (three cows and five bulls) have now been successfully introduced into the Okavango Delta to date under the full support of Botswana’s

Department of Wildlife and National Parks.

Gikka, named for her distinctive ‘folded’ ears, was one of four young elephant orphans known as the “brat pack” who were taken to the Okavango Delta after a culling operation in the Kruger National Park.

She became a valued member of the Abu Herd until she started showing signs that she was ready to be reintroduced into the wild. responsible traveller 69

CONSERVATION PROFILE

Intimate elephant experience

One of the new additions

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CONSERVATION PROFILE On 2 August 2011, the gate to Gikka and her first calf Naya’s reintroduction boma, built 15 km from Abu Camp, was opened and within three hours they had left the temporary boma to roam freely in their new wild home. Just three days later, Gikka and Naya joined up with their longtime friend Nandipa, who had been roaming freely for eight years.

“We were delighted to see Gikka with her newest calf, which is indicative of the ongoing breeding success story of our wild Abu elephant herd and testament to the great conservation work being done at the camp”, commented Abu Concession Manager, Roger Carloni. “Every wild elephant birth is a cause for celebration, and the fact that these former Abu Herd members have mated so consistently shows that the care they received at Abu prepared them well for life in the bush. The Abu wild herd therefore also offers an invaluable research opportunity as part of our ongoing commitment to making Abu Camp a centre of elephant conservation excellence”.

Before being released into the wild, all elephants are fitted with satellite tracking collars and are closely monitored by researchers. A significant amount of data has been collected, providing vital clues and information about the elephants’ behaviour as they integrate into the broader Botswana elephant community. The bulls tend to wander widely, while Nandipa and the matriarchal herd have mostly settled within the Abu Concession – an area covering 180 000 hectares within the Okavango Delta.

RT NOTE: The core ethos of Wilderness Safaris is a commitment to conservation, community, culture and commerce. And whilst animal interactions are frowned upon, those at Abu Camp need to understood in context... Abu has always been about elephant conservation, and the ultimate release of their elephants into the wild. This is a story we are following and one that will hopefully continue to unfold in a positive manner.

Read more about the Abu Philosophy HERE

Introducing elephants into the wild not only ensures that they are where they truly belong, but allows further study of the movements of individuals, which can elicit fascinating insights into the seasonal travels of the northern Botswana ‘meta-herd’ of elephants – the largest remaining concentration of pachyderms on Earth. A number of wild elephants have also been fitted with satellite collars so that their movements can be compared to those of the introduced herd members.

Members of the Abu wild herd are frequent visitors to Abu Camp as they move around this part of the Delta, appearing to take genuine pleasure and pride in introducing their latest offspring to the Abu Herd. Each Abu elephant – whether part of the Abu Herd or the wild herd – serves as an ambassador for the conservation of the species, spreading their message of hope around the world through the deep and lasting impact they have on everyone who meets them. •

www.wilderness-safaris.com responsible traveller 71

What’s news...

Fair Trade Tourism adds Tourvest Destination Management to list of Approved Tour Operators Tourvest Destination Management is the latest tour operator to become officially approved by Fair Trade Tourism. As one of the dominant tour operators packaging Southern Africa, Tourvest’s approval opens up a significant channel to global markets for Fair Trade Tourism businesses in southern Africa.

Fair Trade Tourism (FTT) certifies businesses that meet exacting standards in responsible tourism in South Africa, Madagascar and Mozambique, and recognises business certified by equivalent certification schemes in Namibia, Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania and Seychelles. Over 170 products are currently included in FTT’s Africawide portfolio.

Tour operators can become officially approved by Fair Trade Tourism by signing a pledge to the Fair Trade Code of Conduct. This commits the operator to managing its business fairly, transparently and sustainably, actively supporting FTT businesses and compiling specific Fair Trade Holiday itineraries. Tourvest’s approval brings the number of tour operators officially approved by Fair Trade Tourism to over 50.

“Tourvest Destination Management has committed to package and promote Fair Trade Holidays,” said Karien le Grand, Product Development Manager, who also heads up the operator’s Green Team. “Partnering with a recognised label, such as Fair Trade Tourism, enables us to promote responsible travel to the international trade and encourage support to sustainable and certified products.”

Fair Trade Tourism MD Jane Edge has seen a major shift in the tourism trade towards supporting sustainable tourism, with leading tour operators in the Eurozone increasingly demanding proof of sustainability standards.

“We are delighted that Tourvest and its six tour operator brands, with their enormous purchasing power, will be actively promoting Fair Trade Tourism businesses,” she said. “This marketing boost, which is enhanced further by Tourvest’s tie-up with DER Touristik, is a fitting tribute to these businesses’ commitment to best-practice.”

Fair Trade Tourism believes sustainability standards will soon become mainstream in the global tourism industry. Says Edge: “Companies like Sabre and Tui will soon require products they use to be certified by a GSTC-recognised 72 responsible traveller

standard, while ANVR, the Netherlands travel association, has made sustainability management systems compulsory for all members.” Other sustainability initiatives that were having an impact included Travelife, which also certifies tour operators and accommodation providers around sustainability measures, and Futouris, which is encouraging certification of wildlife lodges in the Kavango-Zambesi Transfrontier Area, she said.

Fair Trade Tourism’s 52 approved tour operators include 29 South African operators and 14 European operators, including Kuoni UK and Switzerland, Tui Netherlands, Dreamtime in Switzerland and Accept-Reisen, KarawaneReisen, One World – Reisen mit Sinnen, SKR and Wikinger Reisen in Germany. •

www.tourvestdm.com www.fairtrade.travel

If you had one day of complete freedom The V&A Waterfront is waiting to welcome you.

Come and join us when the early morning sun reflects goldenly on the water, the seagulls are grooming their feathers, the harbour starts stirring to commence business for the day.

Be here when restaurants open their doors and tables are arranged on the quayside.

Be here when fresh produce and local delicacies are arranged in glorious technicolour splendour.

Come shop, come eat, come marvel at underwater creatures.

Lick an ice-cream, sit on a bench, laugh at a seal, listen to the music floating on the sea breeze, soak up the sun.

Watch when the sun goes down and the bright lights of party nights go on.

It’s like a lifetime in one day – all in one place, all at the V&A Waterfront ~ keep discovering ~

T R AV E L T I P S

f rom t he m ar ke t pl ac e‌

Tread Lightly: The Growing Importance of Eco-Travel

W

ith growing pressure on the earth’s resources, Eco-Travel is more relevant than ever, and its importance is only increasing. The world today presents a unique mix of increased means of self-expression and eco-friendly awareness. These social and environmental trends have led global travellers to take greater ownership of both the makeup and impact of their travel habits.

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According to the Center For Responsible Travel (CREST) “96% of Condé Nast Traveller readers think hotels and resorts should be responsible for protecting the environment they operate in. With 74.5% saying a hotel’s environmental policies influence their decision to stay there”.

The impetus is therefore no longer left with travel agents to cookie-cut holiday experiences

Images - Ker & Downey ©

Walking safaris

for travellers. Our globalized world provides us with so many opportunities to express ourselves through our online personas, and as a result people are looking to express their opinions and passions through all aspects of their lives, including their global travels. Ker & Downey Africa, an adventure travel company that focuses on providing experiential travel experiences for guests from responsible traveller 75

around the world have responded to this desire by taking on an incredibly hands on approach to planning trips for their clients.

Lee, Ker & Downey Africa’s CEO comments, “Travel experiences have become yet another extension of people’s self expression. They care about the impact of their travels, they want to connect with the destinations they visit and know that their footprint is a small and positive one. We aid travellers in achieving the positive impact they’re after through developing tailor made, experiential adventures for our guests - experiences that allow them to both impact positively on the wildlife and communities that they visit as well as allow these elements to impact their lives positively.”

Examples of these travel experiences include mobile camping safaris, a travel concept which allows you to trek on foot through wild areas, with a team of rangers. Not only does this reduce carbon emissions as a result of eliminating the need for a safari vehicle, but the mobile campsites which are set up every evening are solar powered.

These travellers thereby do not leave any impact on the area travelled through. Other examples include mokoro and horseback safaris through the Okavango Delta and opting to walk long routes such as the Otter Trail in South Africa, as opposed to defaulting to travel by carbon emitting modes of transport.

Eco Camp with views over the Highlands

Further up the supply chain, lodges are responding to the eco-travel call through creating eco-friendly infrastructure, something that requires major capital investment which would not be embarked upon if the demand in the market weren’t there.

Some of Ker & Downey Africa’s most popular trips include incredible eco-friendly accommodations such as the Highlands, an eco-lodge in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in Tanzania that operates solely on solar power and wood burning stoves; wooden huts at the summit of the Nyiragongo volcano in the Congo and electric safari vehicles and boats at Chobe Game Lodge that have saved a combined 38,045kg of CO2 emissions.

Travel companies and accommodation providers in the world’s top travel destinations have long since promoted their eco-friendly stance, but the growing importance of eco-travel, and the increasing demand for treading lightly means that the eco-friendly stance now has to be backed up by real long term investments into eco-friendly infrastructure.

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Electric game viewing boat Chobe Game Lodge

Silent safris - electric game viewing vehicles at Chobe Game Lodge

The Fitness Travel Trend The Cornell Center for Hospitality Research recently revealed that only 22% of U.S. hotel visitors still use hotel gyms. The study, which covered 33 U.S. hotels across 6 global hotel brands seemingly contradicts another research report released by the Global Wellness Institute, which stated that “Global wellness tourism revenues grew from $494.1 billion in 2013 to $563.2 billion in 2015 – or 14%. A growth rate more than twice as fast as overall tourism expenditures (6.9%).”

So, if wellness tourism is increasing while usage of hotel gyms is decreasing, where are travellers getting their fitness fix? Lee Kelsall of Ker & Downey Africa, an adventure travel company that operates LuxVenture™ experiences throughout Africa believes that these two concurrent statistics shouldn’t be surprising when taking into account the global traveller mindset and values of today.

Lee notes, “The driver of fitness travel is not just that people care more about their physical appearance today than they may have previously, the real driver of the fitness travel trend is about overall wellness - mental and physical. Travelers

want to be active, they want to connect with the destination and they want to be in touch with the culture - all while looking after their bodies.

This is a need that cannot be serviced inside four walls of a hotel gym. It needs to be sought out in the streets, peaks, waterways and forests of travel destinations.”

There seems to be a definite culmination of varying travel, cultural and social trends through the increased desire for active holidays. The most lauded travel trends of the last two years include: Transformational travel: a travel trend focused on making a positive impact on the destinations visited, either through active participation in charitable work or financial contributions to the communities, local businesses and the conservation of wildlife; Adventure travel: involving a departure from big brand chain-style hotels and fly and flop holidays toward uniquely adventurous and thrilling experiences, and finally, Fitness travel: seeking to not only positively impact the destination visited, but to have the

Safari marathons

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destination’s environment impact positively on you as a traveller.

Seemingly all recent travel trends can be categorised as some form of wellness travel.

As described by the Global Wellness Institute, “wellness falls firmly on the proactive side, incorporating attitudes and activities that prevent disease, improve health, enhance quality of life, and bring a person to increasingly optimum levels of well-being” meaning that while the industry might be calling it different things from year to year, a distillation of what travellers want from their travel experiences may just be: increased physical and mental well being.

Tour operators across the globe are looking for fresh ways in which to satisfy varying combinations of these new, powerful travel requirements in order to ensure that travellers are fully satisfied with, and enriched by their travel experiences.

Many organisations are responding to these wellness travel trends by reaching into their pockets for additional capital to build more spas or manufactured retreats.

It seems however, that the true potential in capitalising on fitness and wellness travel trends lies in leveraging the adventurously active and meaningfully cultural characteristics of remote destinations to bring impactful moments to travellers.

Examples of this approach are easy to find in Ker & Downey Africa’s collection of LuxVenture™ experiences, which include gorilla trekking in countries like Uganda, Rwanda and the Congo; summiting the iconic mountain peaks of Kenya and Tanzania; running Marathons through wildlife conservancies; walking safaris or conquering age old trails along South Africa’s historic coastline.

All with continual opportunities to engage with and improve the lives of the communities and wildlife visited along the way.

International companies operating in the travel industry will need to respond to the call for meaningfully active travel experiences, or risk further poor investment into amenities that travellers no longer care for.

www.ker-downeyafrica.com Hiking in remote locations

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‘continual opportunities to engage with and improve the lives of communities and wildlife visited along the way...’ responsible traveller 79

What’s news...

Bring Your Fire Zone 2017: Create & Sustain For the past decade, BRING YOUR FIRE has been MTN Bushfire’s inspiring call to action, a concept that encourages the proactive contribution of the individual towards social change. Your Fire is your energy, your spirit, your passion, and your drive to make a difference.

During this time, MTN Bushfire has encouraged participants and guests alike to heed this call, and in the process the festival has achieved a worldwide reputation for its visionary and authentic approach to raising awareness of the need for social change.

In 2017 MTN Bushfire will take BRING YOUR FIRE to a whole new level with the introduction of the BRING YOUR FIRE ZONE, a dedicated space that will articulate and manifest this call to action around a specific theme. It is excited to announce that the theme for this year’s BRING YOUR FIRE campaign and zone will be environmentalism and sustainability.

To this end, MTN Bushfire Festival is partnering with a host of organisations to present a truly interactive and creative space that will engage with the myriad issues related to environmentalism and sustainability more broadly, including arts sustainability in the region.

These activities will live not only at the Festival, but also before and after the event on social media and also critically in the local Swaziland

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communities. Everyone is invited to become a pro-active contributor and to #BRINGYOURFIRE. Within this theme, MTN Bushfire 2017 will also be further committing to become a more carbon-neutral event with this year seeing an increased focus on recycling and an insistence that all vendors use packaging that is made from recycled material.

As the tangible and interactive manifestation of the BRING YOUR FIRE call to action based on this year’s theme of environmentalism and sustainability, the BRING YOUR FIRE ZONE will play host to an array of exhibitions, activations, performances and related activities.

Within the ZONE, Yebo Art Gallery will be presenting an exhibition; “The Burning Question,” based on the theme of a changing climate, particularly focusing on the role that artists and the arts can play in effecting recognition, intervention and action.

As the arts industry finally wakes up to the reality and urgency of climate change, as indicated by the huge increase in the visibility of the arts in creating awareness and cultivating action and reaction towards climate change and environmental issues at last two international summits on climate change (COP 21 and 22), MTN Bushfire and its partner,

What’s news...

Yebo Art & Design, are at the leading edge of grappling with this critical issue.

Long time partner of MTN Bushfire, All Out Africa will be working with the festival and the local Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary to offset the carbon footprint of the festival and counter act deforestation by inviting guests to personally get involved by planting an indigenous tree in the nearby reserve. Guests will have the opportunity to sign up for the tree planting project and will be transported to and from the reserve where they will plant a tree and be part of this lasting environmental legacy project.

This is a long term project aims not only to plant trees to offset carbon emission and loss due to deforestation but also to educate on the importance of protecting tress and our shared natural heritage as a whole.

Under the facilitation of Alex Paullin, from Conservation Music, a group of leading local musicians/students/choir/poets from the local communities will engage in an extensive workshop to brainstorm, skill-share, create, and record a song that offers a dynamic medium to communicate and send a messages around the issue of environmental issues & climate change.

MTN Bushfire partner Sunshine Cinema will also be part of the BRING YOUR FIRE ZONE and will engage with participants by screening films and

documentaries touching on issues related to environmental sustainability. These film screenings and discussions will all be solar panel powered.

For the past decade, MTN Bushfire, along with its partners, has been committed to creating an increasingly inclusive festival program where members of the local youth community become active participants to generate a sustainable arts legacy that instils skills and motivation in youth to become arts and creative industry entrepreneurs.

The annual Schools Programme reaches out to about 120 schools and 1350 students with entertaining and educational arts experiences.

Additionally, the annual Arts Round Table is a forum that welcomes local, regional and international arts practitioners and experts who engage in lively dialogue and debate towards creating a more sustainable arts community within Southern Africa.

Within the BRING YOUR FIRE ZONE there will also be a digital studio where guests can engage in video-recorded discussions that will be shared via MTN Bushfire’s social media platforms and on the main screens around the festival venue.

These discussion platforms will open up the space for engagement beyond the festival itself and into the digital realm. •

www.bush-fire.com

responsible traveller 81

responsible travel

There’s so much to discover in Cape Town & the Western Cape. Why not try and make a difference while you’re here on your adventure? Be part of the “Green Travel” revolution when you choose and buy eco-friendly products. Explore with a tour operator that is socially and environmentally responsible. Research and know the culture of the community you are visiting so that you can respect their dignity and privacy – remember to ask for permission before you take pics. Don’t pick the flowers, or there won’t be any left when you visit again.

Be inspired to help future generations discover more.

www.discoverctwc.co.za discoverctwc @discoverctwc discoverctwc #discoverctwc