Announcements by members

Sharon van Wyk, Pretoria, South Africa

The global tourism industry seems to be popping its proverbial socks at the moment over the much-publicised boom in outbound travel from China, excited, no doubt, at the prospect of tapping into this “new” revenue stream. After all, China is the mother of all superpowers and, if all of the grovelling and forelock tugging coming from the US and Europe is to be believed, the most important driver of economic markets and future saviour of sustainability.

This display of double standards from the world’s political and corporate leaders is more than perplexing, especially for someone like me sitting in South Africa – a country which the world ostracised because of its fundamentally flawed politics and human rights violations. It was not ethically or morally acceptable to support South Africa during apartheid, but these days the world’s compass is driven by money, not morals.

NEW INTRO ENDS

 

The “West” (and by this I generalise by including so-called First World countries who may be geographically further east) has been kowtowing to the might of Beijing for a number of years now, seemingly without question or concern. I’ve watched as successive governments have fawned and stooped in their eagerness to climb into bed with the proverbial “red dragon” with nary a thought on principles and ethics, let alone basic issues such as human rights.

The Chinese PR machine has been omnipotent in its ability to hoodwink willing concubines into thinking that the relationships they indulge in are mutually beneficial, when actually they are nothing of the sort. They are and always will be in China’s best interests and are sufficiently sugar-coated only to ensure avid ingestion by the partner of choice.

The fear that those of us in the business of tourism and sustainability have is that once all of that saccharine has worn off and the indelible ink on the contract has dried, those same partners will slowly discover that they have done deals with the devil, and have sold-out lock, stock and several smoking barrels with no hope of ever buying their way back out.

That fear is most noticeable here in Africa, which China has been buying, nation by suffering, greedy nation, for the past decade. Desperation makes African governments cheap by comparison. Offer them a few roads, some basic infrastructure and a pile of money and they’re in like Flynn without any concern for the long-term consequences.

Those same consequences are, however, felt in the short-term, most notably in the rising demand for and consequent decimation of natural resources, from precious minerals to “softer” items like ivory, shark fins and rhino horn. Let us make no bones about the fact that in spite of countries like Vietnam, Thailand and Korea taking the fall for driving the trade in illegal animal parts, China is the market they are chiefly supplying through the back door, as it were. The fact is that Chinese demand for ivory, fins and horn far outstrips that of its far-eastern cousins.

It is not surprising that countries with dubious track records in environmental policy making and human rights do not think twice about doing business with China, but what is perplexing is that the alleged major powers of this world are so keen to sell the principles on which their democracies were founded to a country which is still under communist rule.

It may appear that capitalism has successfully infiltrated the corridors of Chinese socialism, but the revolution needed to finally push the stake of democracy, and transparency, through China’s red, beating heart has yet to take place. Until that time the country’s actual policies and manifestos remain clouded in rhetoric and speculation.

I have no doubt that there are an untold number of superbly educated, brilliant minds in China who are working for a better future for humankind. But they have no say in the government of their country, a country which openly practices barbarism at all levels of society while the rest of the world is paid to politely look the other way.

At the risk of over-generalising and appearing paranoid, I remain exceedingly cautious of China and wary of its motives. There is nothing that leads me to believe that China either aims to be a leading light for humankind or has the best interests of Planet Earth at heart. In fact, all hard evidence points actively to the contrary on both counts.

So while the world opens its arms to the outbound Chinese travel market and salivates at the prospect of making a fast buck on the back of Beijing, I worry at what the future really holds and where this is all leading.

My father (God rest his soul) had a phrase which, though flippant, quite appropriately sums up the approach I think the world should take with China and its far-eastern cohorts until such time they can demonstrate a willingness to change... He said: “Never trust a nation that eats dogs.”

As a dog lover and planet fan, I concur.

 

by Sharon van Wyk

 

Having read Geoffrey Lipman’s views on what he calls sustainable “travelism” I would like to add a point of view from the southern reaches of the Dark Continent, Africa, which may put into perspective some of the points Geoffrey raises.

Firstly, I have to say that I am a supporter in principle of sustainability, and of putting “green before growth”, but living and working in Africa, and travelling throughout its sub-Saharan expanses over the last 40 years has provided me with an altogether less Utopian outlook and one which may burst a few bubbles.

No matter how admirable the ethics of sustainable growth and development, and how cognisant the “west” has become of the need to adapt and evolve the way we live, work and play to be less impactful on the planet on which we depend, the simple fact is that we are fighting a losing battle. Sustainability, in its present form at least, is a myth.

The brand of sustainability we are practising is delaying a process rather than arresting it completely. Why? Because there are simply too many human beings on this planet to enable us to stop what we have started, and of those human beings, the vast majority are living below what those in the developed nations commonly call the poverty line, with little or no education and therefore no direct or meaningful input into the governmental systems they are bound by other than casting a vote (in democratic countries).

I agree that we, as an industry, now largely recognise the need for sustainability (which Geoffrey so aptly likened to an elephant) but we still largely ignore the elephant in the room and that’s the need to protect and conserve the one thing we are running out of rapidly - space.

Growth, by its very nature, is not sustainable because eventually we will run out of space - space to build, space to work, space to play, space to expand into, space to put aside for "nature". Space is not a renewable resource. It is finite. Here in Africa, where I live and work, it is perhaps the most valuable commodity, next to water. And it is the one thing that draws tourists in their millions... The sweeping great plains of East Africa, the impenetrable forests of Congo, Uganda and Rwanda, the vast arid beauty of the Kalahari and Namib deserts... But year by year these spaces are put under more and more pressure by human expansion.

Tourism is part of that expansion and no matter how much we would like to think that we can touch the Earth lightly, there is simply no way to not make an impact, no matter how small. I would challenge anyone who has been there not to marvel at the miracle that is the Maasai Mara at the peak of the annual wildebeest migration. But when darkness falls and the lights of countless resort-type developments on the gentle hills surrounding the plains becomes inescapable, where is the attraction? You may as well be in Central Park Zoo for all of the spirit of wilderness it conveys.

This industry has to be accountable for its actions. We strive to attract more and more people to the world's last wild places - at what cost? And why? To show them the beauty and majesty of this planet in its natural state or to make money? I don't think there is a tourism operator on this planet who runs their business as a charitable institution. We provide a service for people who want to escape and explore, and we charge for that privilege. Money is the single biggest driver of human society and expansion and has been since it and the economic systems it has spawned came into being.

We make money from showing people different places, cultures and sights and from giving them experiences beyond the realm of their everyday lives. A few of us would like to think that we change a few mindsets in the process and even create a few activists along the way. In Africa we have an enormous number of “repeat” visitors – people who have been “wowed” by the continent’s incredible natural resources to the extent that they return year after year in order to get their “fix” of the wilderness experience and even contribute to its protection. But that wilderness is getting smaller year on year. And we have to own up to our role in helping to drive that.

Consider the Victoria Falls and the two countries which share it – Zimbabwe and Zambia. Forty years ago there was minimal development on both banks of the mighty Zambezi river and virtually no traffic on the river itself above the falls. Livingstone was a small border town with little infrastructure, and its neighbour – the town of Victoria Falls – was little more than a weekend escape for then Rhodesians.

Now a concrete jungle competes with a somewhat diminished rain forest on both sides of the falls. The air is filled with the sound of helicopter rotors and the river is choked with pleasure vessels bearing tourists on cruises. Hotel developments line the banks of the upper Zambezi on both sides for a considerable distance. And floodlights have been placed in the Batoka gorge below the falls to light them at night. Both towns on both sides of the river have become tourism hubs for their respective countries. Developments abound. Communities prosper. Tourism stakeholders reap the rewards.

Where do we draw the line? Is there a point at which we say “enough”? In a truly sustainable model there has to be a time when critical mass is achieved, above which anything more would render that model not sustainable, not just from a business perspective but from an environmental one. Once land is cleared for a new tourism development the reality of sustainability diminishes and the myth kicks in. The truth is that the only truly green development is no development at all. Is the tourism industry ever going to say yes to no development?

While tourism is held up as the unilateral tool for community upliftment, poverty eradication and sustainable growth, especially in rural areas, who is looking at the bigger picture? Human-wildlife conflict is increasing in every corner of this continent (Africa), we are down to fewer than 20,000 lions left in the wild, mostly through a loss of range and deaths at the hands of cattle farmers (even though research has shown that hyaena are the main culprit where stock losses are concerned), our wild dog population is probably less than 6,000. These are our apex predators. If we lose them, our eco-systems collapse.

Tourism, and particularly eco-tourism, has a huge role to play in this scenario, but to date it is missing the boat completely by choosing to put the words green and growth into the same sentence and clinging to the myth of sustainability rather than recognising exactly what is and what is not actually sustainable.

Sustainability is not something which can be measured in purely scientific or economic terms. Indeed, I would argue that much of it is instinctual at almost a primaeval level. Our forebears understood implicitly how much they could take from the land without adversely affecting it and some tribal societies still exist in this state of harmony, far from the reach of modern existence.

For all but a few these instincts have become obsfucated by greed to the extent that humanity is likely past the point of no return and beyond salvation and no amount of political rhetoric or gatherings of world leaders can change this.

We need to ask why we do what we do, not examine how we do it. Why do we do what we do? It’s a question particularly pertinent to the tourism industry. Why do we need more people to come and visit our countries? Why do we want more hotels? Why do we want to find a piece of pristine wilderness and put a five-star lodge on it rather than leave it just the way it is? Why, when we know what a carbon footprint is, do we insist on creating one where none existed? 

Geoffrey speaks of the industry harnessing the “immense, positive reality” of sustainable tourism and travel. I agree there is much to be said for all moving in the same direction with a united goal, but is anyone checking to make sure the destination we are headed to is the best option? After all, progress isn’t automatically a positive thing.

When I travel in Africa I occasionally come across the most incredible stories which give me hope that perhaps all is not lost and that there may be a better future for those who will come after me, where real sustainability is a given and politics and greed have no role to play. They are invariably driven by outstanding human beings who are prepared to buck the system, fly under the political radar, fight against the odds and give their all to make lasting change for good a reality without any thought of personal gain. Quite the opposite of the people who supposedly govern them.

As a global industry, tourism is largely regarded by politicians and governments as insignificant. Much in the same way that environmental policy is seen as a hindrance to economic growth. The world’s leaders only pay it lip service when it is politically necessary or prudent to do so, largely engaging in filibustering to avoid changing the status quo of power. For most First World countries, recycling has become a “green” placebo for the lack of political will to tackle the real issues which face us as a species. The population explosion is swept under the carpet, renewable energy offers no financial rewards, climate change is no longer regarded as a crisis and the price of oil still drives economic policy. Land is owned and wealth and power go hand-in-hand – all to benefit a few at the expense of the majority.

Without the political will to understand and fully grasp the impact we, as a species, are making on this planet and while political agendas are still tied to inherently flawed economic systems and non-renewable resources, there can be no sustainability in any aspect of our lives, let alone “travelism”. And while we, as societies, still support fiefdom and greed as pillars of our existence, what green there is left on this planet is ultimately doomed, and tourism, travelism, or whatever you choose to call it will only add to its demise.

We are part of the problem, and only once we understand that we are part of the problem can we find a sustainable solution.

 

• ·      Sharon van Wyk is an award-winning writer and natural history film-maker based in Pretoria, South Africa. She specialises in the relationships between “responsible” eco-tourism, conservation and rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa. She has been involved in the South African tourism industry for the last two decades and has served on the national executive committee of the Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (SATSA) as chairperson of the Gauteng chapter.

 

Comment by Head of Department Tourism and Conservation Department Rwanda Rica Rwigamba:

From the 3rd to the 13th of December 2012, The Regional Tourism Organisation of Southern Africa (RETOSA) and WES vzw (Brugge, Belgium) hosted a 10-day workshop at the RETOSA offices in Midrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. Organised by RETOSA and sponsored by the Flemish Department of Foreign Affairs, the workshop was targeted at high-level management and senior executives in tourism destination management, tourism product development, tourism marketing, and tourism communication of public and private organisations. The main aim of the workshop was to develop Strategic

Destination Management competencies to targeted key staff members of tourism destination management organisations (DMOs) from RETOSA Member States. These competencies enabled them to achieve increased visitor satisfaction, improved competitiveness, and ensure economic, social and environmental sustainability. This was the first of several workshops to be run jointly between RETOSA and WES. A total of 18 participants came from the following Member States: Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, and Swaziland.

Mozambique was not able to send a participant. Participants of the workshop gained the following:Improved knowledge and a better understanding of successful Destination Management.Introduction of creative and innovative concepts, ideas, products, and methods.In-depth understanding and usage of the social media in Destination Management.

Visit to the Apartheid Museum, JHB, RSAThe programme content was provided by Ivan Landuyt; Strategic Planner, Christiane Gunst; Tourism Expert, and Els Ameloot; Marketing and Communication Expert from WES.Feedback from participants at the workshop has been very positive and many of them found the programme to be beneficial, affirming that they will use a lot of the skills gained at the workshop to implement their destination management programmes.

Also, participants took home a training package which contained useful course material that will enable them to formulate an effective management and marketing strategy for their destinations using different approaches.

It was also observed that with the rise ofthe technological advancement, it is important for organisations to embrace the use of online media as a tool in marketing strategies, especially how to use social media as a marketing tool. At the end of the workshop each participant was able to formulate and elaborate a strategic plan for their destination successfully.RETOSA would like to thank all participants of the workshop for contributing to its success and WES as well as the Flemish Department of Foreign Affairs for their unwavering support. The next workshop will be held between August and September 2013.

Participants for the second workshop will be drawn from the following countries: Angola, DR Congo, Mauritius, Seychelles, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.For media enquiries contact:Taonga SilungweMarketing Assistant, RETOSATel: +27(0)11 315 2420
Email: marketing@retosa.co.za

The Regional Tourism Organization of Southern Africa (RETOSA) The Regional Tourism Organization of Southern Africa (RETOSA) is a permanent institution of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) responsible for tourism growth and development. In part, the aims of RETOSA are to increase tourism to the region through sustainable initiatives, destination marketing, improved regional competitiveness and investment promotions and ultimately, to reduce poverty in local communities. RETOSA works together with the region’s national tourism ministries and institutions, private sector organisations in Member States and numerous partners such as UNWTO to achieve these.

Nobody can deny it anymore. The environment, sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) are becoming important trends nowadays. More and more cities and companies turn “green”. There is a growing conscience that sustainability, care for the environment and CSR are necessary for the growth of our society. CSR is operating with attention for the three P’s: People, Planet and Profit. These three elements must be combined in a harmonious way.

Success cannot only be measured by economic growth (Profit), but also by sustainable development which cares about social, ethical (People) and green (Planet) values.

Also the meeting industry has gone “green” and has integrated the CSR policy. The Maastricht Convention Bureau helps visitors by providing information about “green” conferencing.

Maastricht and surrounding area cares about the future of our children and our planet.

What does Maastricht do regarding sustainability?
The city of Maastricht and surrounding area takes different actions regarding sustainability:

Maastricht has finished 10th in the Local Sustainability Measurement
Maastricht aims to be climate neutral in 2030. In order to achieve this goal, the city cooperates with citizens, organisations and companies:
There is a sustainable power plant in Bélvèdere.
The Geusseltbad (swimming pool) is at the forefront of sustainability. For more information about this item (in Dutch) click here.
Cooling water is re-used within companies.
Residual heat of companies is being re-used to heat homes in Maastricht.
The Centre for Nature and Environment (CNME) organises nature workdays to involve the citizens more in the field of nature reserves.
Taxi company Brull provides eco-friendly electric taxis.
Maastricht has a Fair Shopping Route whith several shops that sell clothes made from 100% organically growth cotton. Click here to download the brochure (in Dutch).
The City of Maastricht uses computers which consume less energy.
The city centre of Maastricht has sufficient bicycle parking places which stimulates people to come by bike
Local and regional products contribute to the strengthening of the economy of Limburg.
For a full description of these sustainable projects in Maastricht, click here.

For further information, please visit the website of the local government of the city of Maastricht.

Click here to read an article about Sustainable Maastricht.

Sustainable organisations in Maastricht & surrounding area
Many of our partners take outstanding measures regarding Corporate Social Responsibility. Doing business with these partners means doing business in a responsible way. Below, you find an overview of our partners and their sustainable measures:

Apart Hotel Randwyck (Silver Green Key* certificate)
Bastion Deluxe Hotel Maastricht/Centre (Silver Green Key* certificate)
Beaumont (Green Globe certificate)
Brull Personenvervoer (Electric taxi’s)
Crowne Plaza Maastricht (Golden Green Key* certificate)
Golden Tulip Apple Park Maastricht (Silver Green Key* certificate)
Château St. Gerlach (Golden Green Key* certificate)
Château Neercanne (Golden Green Key* certificate)
Hotel van der Valk Maastricht (Golden Green Key* certificate)
Kruisherenhotel Maastricht (Golden Green Key* certificate)
MECC Maastricht (convention center) (Golden Green Key* certificate)
NH Maastricht (Golden Green Key* certificate)
Stayokay Maastricht (Eco label)
* The Green Key was created to raise the awareness of owners and managers of tourism and leisure establishments on the necessity and possibilities of running a responsible business. Getting awarded with The Green Key means that an establishment has fulfilled more sustainable requirements than is required by law. Besides pure environmental demands, the criteria inclide demands on policy actionplans. Click here for more information about The Green Key.

How to organise a sustainable meeting
A green meeting or event incorporates environmental considerations to minimize its negative impact on the environment.

10 tips for a green event:

let delegates travel climate neutral
use public transportation
choose local suppliers
communicate without paper
make sure the venues you use have a green policy regarding water, energy and waste
make sure airco, heating en lights in the meeting rooms are not turned on unnecessary, and that audio-visual equipment is turned off when possible
for your dinners, use regional season products
ask your caterer to not use individually packed meals and plastic bottles
prevent the use of disposable forks, knives, spoons etcetera
work with venues and suppliers who acknowledge the CSR-rules
Calculate your CO2 emission:
By becoming climate neutral you will inspire others to do the same. Climate Neutral Group aims to make it easy for people and organisations to become climate neutral. In this way global warming can be countered. On the website of Climate Neutral Group you can calculate your CO2 emission. For conventions and special events you can contact Climate Neutral Group to make a measure made calculation for you. For more information, please visit their website.

A group of 24 tourism related business owners, concerned about the ethical creation and fair distribution of wealth within the opportunities and limits of tourism businesses, have joined forces to implement a new management model for tourism sustainability developed over the last ten years in South Africa. Kontrei Traveller supplied the management system for sustainable tourism.

 

The model, known as the 4C Kontrei Management Model, was developed by Kontrei Konsult, a division of Kontrei Traveller, in conjunction with the various tourism businesses and will now be implemented subject to voluntary participation by pledge members. Pledge members can choose to be externally audited every second year according to international standards where the KTP member can be rewarded with the KONTREI AUDIT CERTIFICATION™.

 

The KTP Strategic Business focus

 

• Select individual product owners who take their responsibility for sustainability by thinking global and acting local
• To supply a valid strategic management tool with criteria to be applied by the business in its place and kontrei.
• To build a portfolio of selected, sustainable tourism products in South and Southern Africa, accountable to the sustainable consumer because they all pledge to the 4C KONTREI  MANAGEMENT MODEL. They can voluntarily become Audit members and have their management results externally audited every second year by ISOlogic.
• To market to the sustainable traveller via a B2C website.
• Kontrei Traveller acts as the tour operator for the KTP

 

Accountability of the KTP products

Wolfgang Huber of ISO-Logic, an expert in the implementation of quality management systems, says the Kontrei Concept is unique in his experience because normally institutions from outside supply the standards to which a business must comply. ISO-Logic was started to support a wide range of industries in South Africa in implementing quality management systems. In the last 7 years the company has assisted more than 150 companies in obtaining ISO standard certification.

 

 

“In the case of the Kontrei Traveller Portfolio, a valid set of general criteria – based on the 4C’s - was supplied and the tourism businesses given the opportunity to perform on them according to their own management by objectives. ISO-Logic will know externally audit the performances according to international standards. As far as can be ascertained, this is the first time internationally that such audits according to international standards are applied to the tourism sector,” says Huber.

 

In the  Kontrei Traveller approach the entrepreneur demonstrates responsibility towards sustainability, reporting via a valid set of strategic criteria (as a general tool) performing within the limits and opportunities in the (specific) place and kontrei (region) where the business is operated. This demonstrates that the meaning of sustainability is the same on a global level but it refers to something operationally different and unique due to a specific place and Kontrei.

 

The model passed validity tests by senior staff members of the:

University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB) as a statistically valid model, The King’s University College, Alberta, Canada as a developmental economy model and the Department of Environmental Management, North West University, Potchefstroom, as an environmental management model.

 

 

The Founder Members

The complete list of founder members who will be implementing these standards,  is: Bakkrans Nature Reserve, Cederberg, Zomerlust Gastehuis, Paarl, 138 Marine Guest House, Hermanus, Avondrust Guest House, Saldanha Bay, Buffelshoek Guest Farm, Graaff- Reinet, Kleine Heimat Guest House, Graaff-Reinet, Minwater Eco Adventures, Oudtshoorn, Papkuilsfontein Guest Farm, Nieuwoudtville, Bartholomeus Klip Farmhouse, Hermon, Muratie Wine Estate, Stellenbosch, Moolmanshof Guest House, Swellendam, Die Plaaskombuis, Farm Steenboksfontein, Lambert’s Bay, Ratelgat Griqua Farm, Van Rhynsdorp,  Merwenstein Guest Farm, Bonnievale, Doornfontein Guest Farm, Velddrift, Slipway Restaurant and Schaafsma Charters, Saldanha Bay, Southern Cross Adventures, Springbok, Nuy vallei Restaurant and Guest Farm, Worcester, Civair Air Charters, Cape Town, Tanabaru Tours, Cape Town, Liebhen Tours, Paarl, Ganora Guest Farm, Nieu Bethesda, Marine Dynamics and Dyer Island Cruises, Kleinbaai and Kontrei Traveller, Paarl.

 

 

The First KONTREI AUDIT CERTIFICATION receiver:

ISOLogic reported on 24 January 2011 that the first KONTREI AUDIT CERTIFICATION™ receiver is 

Bakkrans Nature Reserve in the Rooi Cederberg kontrei. The owner is Johan vd Westhuizen , johan@redcederberg.co.za  0832611934

 

Bakkrans has been joined by Audit members;

138 Marine Drive Guest House, Hermanus.

Avondrust Guest House, Saldanha Bay

Zomerlust Gastehuis, Paarl

 

The progress in terms of Pledge members can be seen on www.kontrei.co.za

 

For more information contact:

For business:

Niël du Toit,   ndt@kontrei.co.za   0825567562 or

For External audit:

Wolfgang Huber  wolfgang@isologoc.co.za   0820729594

Future vision

 

For Kontrei Traveller to join institutions such as ICTP and outbound associated tour operators to  to South and Southern Africa  to use Kontrei Traveller and KTP members as preferred service providers where all KTP members will become Audit Members.

 

This will be a clear demonstration of our dedicated and valid contribution to sustainable tourism for our own satisfaction and to the sustainable customer.

 

Niël du Toit

Paarl

20 September 2012

The Southern Africa Tourism Services Association, SATSA, has, for more than forty years offered tourism product owners the opportunity to have their products recognised as being of top quality, by being awarded SATSA membership. Prospective members have to conform to the highest standards in the tourism industry that are set for admission to SATSA, and these requirements are checked every year by means of an annual review.  Therefore any company or person who books with a SATSA member can be assured that booking with a SATSA member ensures peace of mind in an uncertain world. Our members are proud of their reputation. The SATSA logo is a guarantee to travellers of quality in tourism, and is highly prized. SATSA members are bonded, providing a financial guarantee of deposits held by a SATSA member against the involuntary liquidation of a SATSA member.

SATSA is a non-profit, member-driven association that represents businesses (small and large) in the private sector of inbound tourism. These include airlines, coach operators, tour operators, accommodation establishments, vehicle hire companies, attractions, conference organisers and related marketing organisations.

In the inbound tourism industry in Southern Africa, SATSA stands for:

·               CREDIBILITY

·               INTEGRITY

·                             STABILITY

SATSA has a daily impact on tourism in Southern Africa through its lobbying activities. We champion the interests of our members with Government to ensure South Africa has a legislative and fiscal framework that allows their businesses to grow and prosper.

Through a programme of business and social events, our Chapter Meetings, various conferences, and relationships with international buyer communities, we encourage our members to develop relationships with tourism suppliers, buyers and partners both abroad and in Southern Africa.

SATSA is very proud that so many SATSA members feature regularly in local and international tourism awards.  Many SATSA members have now been certified by Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa.

SATSA is committed to transformation in the industry and has signed an MoU with the Tourism Empowerment Council of South Africa to this effect.  The Tourism Mentorship Programme was initiated by SATSA with industry partners in 2003, and is constantly evolving to address the development needs of emerging businesses through partnering emerging businesses with established businesses.  SATSA was one of the active participants behind the development of the BEE Tourism Scorecard.

SATSA has an Executive Committee (ExCo), elected by members, that is charged with making policy decisions concerning the running of the organisation.  On a day-to-day basis the national office is managed by an appointed CEO, COO and staff.

SATSA holds an annual conference, at which matters of importance to the industry are discussed and leading speakers are invited to participate. 2012 has been a groundbreaking experience as we will had a combined conference with important role players within the industry (TBCSA, ASATA, FEDHASA, NAA & SAVRALA), offering one strong, coherent voice-piece for the tourism industry.

SATSA is the only inbound non-government organisation where clients of members are bonded against involuntary liquidation by the members. We also offer members a variety of benefits from a Provident Fund, the Tourism Safety Initiative (tsi), a benefit card, specialist insurance advice, specialist legal advice, to arbitration in case of disputes.

SATSA works closely with South African Tourism, and other government and industry organisations, but it does have its own agenda – to look after the interests of private enterprise in tourism.  Through its fortnightly newsletter the SATSA RAP, members are kept informed, and also of opportunities to market their businesses. Opportunities to participate in trade fairs, shows and road shows are highlighted regularly.  SATSA also works with other bodies in the industry to facilitate Tourism Showcases, educational programmes and assist with national recognitions programmes such as ETEYA and the Welcome Awards.

SATSA and South African Tourism (SAT) bring the highly successful Speed Marketing initiative into various provinces and have over 3 years successfully improved arrivals of tourists into the less-visited rural areas by taking the top inbound tour operators for 24 hours into specific rural areas, to meet the properties, local tour operators, attractions and see the area for themselves – to package the area better.

SATSA jointly publishes a tourism trade journal, the Tourism Tattler, the eZine version of which is distributed free of charge to interested tourism stakeholders throughout Southern Africa and the world.  Tattler’s aim is to provide the tourism trade with a better understanding of tourism legislation, legal and risk issues that impact on tourism and explanations of marketing and business principles that may help them to become knowledgeable and credible providers of services to tourists who visit the southern Africa regions.

Go to www.tourismtattler.co.za to register.

Tourism has become a popular global leisure activity. In 2011, there were over 983 million international tourist arrivals worldwide, representing a growth of 4.6% when compared to 940 million in 2010. International tourism receipts grew to US$1.03 trillion (€740 billion) in 2011, corresponding to an increase in real terms of 3.8% from 2010. In 2011, international travel demand continued to recover from the losses resulting from the late 2000 reccessions, where tourism suffered a strong slowdown from the second half of 2008 through the end of 2009. After a 5% increase in the first half of 2008, growth in international tourist arrivals moved into negative territory in the second half of 2008, and ended up only 2% for the year, compared to a 7% increase in 2007. The negative trend intensified during 2009, exacerbated in some countries due to the outbreak of the HINI influenza virus, resulting in a worldwide decline of 4.2% in 2009 to 880 million international tourists arrivals, and a 5.7% decline in international tourism receipts.

Address to the ICTP Conference Seychelles 07 July 2012

Livingstone International University of Tourism Excellence and Business Management.

(LIUTEBM University-Zambia)

Salutations: ICTP – President Professor Geoffrey Lipman

                        ICTP – Chairman Mr. Juergen T. Steinmetz

My address is based on various broad issues of tourism potential, threats, environmental economics, the green economy and the critique of the Green economy and finally the green growth as a policy strategy:

Zambia is located in the Central part of Africa which is the undiscovered paradise, the home of the Victoria Falls, the wonder of the world and UNESCO’s World Heritage site. Zambia’s protection of the wildlife, flora and fauna is vital in nurturing the growing eco-tourism and ensuring a better and safer Zambia for the inhabitants and the vigorous wildlife community. This rich tourism offering of Zambia will enhance quality green growth. It embraces the green growth vision for tourism and quality green growth at the destination level.

The partnerships, linkages and collaboration of Universities, Institutions of higher learning and various stakeholders will enhance training and research in tourism and will impact positively on the strength of tourism and objectives of ICTP.

The alliances of destinations, organizations, the global eco-partnership and the coalition of various global stakeholders with a common vision to provide quality service and green growth is the world’s new innovation which is truly meaningful alliances, which will provide greater and stronger resources to enrich and protect our environment and take the tourism industry to a very different level.

Overview:

Tourism has reached its pinnacle in its life span with most nations benefiting from tourism and sustaining their economies. Tourism is a valuable source of revenue; it should be supported as a means to foster sustainable development in various countries and to the benefit of the people.

Various benefits have been recorded as the ultimate deliverables of tourism development such as economic, cultural and social benefits which have been derived from success stories of tourism.

However, detrimental consequences arise from tourism which require mitigating and sustainable management action. The depletion of earthly provisions for health living; mitigating and adaptation to the changes in climate are inevitable. Global action is eminent to mitigate the short comings of human activities.

The benefits and opportunities of the tourist attractions have to be harnessed to further expand the returns. Development of infrastructure, superstructures and human capital and capacity building in various destinations in the third world remain the challenges to tourism development. Marketing of our facilities and tourism products has also met with myriad obstacles and challenges including budgetary restrictions. The knowledge and skills gap of our operators and various stakeholders is also constrained due to lack of collaborative efforts and linkages. The knowledge and skills development will further enhance the capacity of players in the industry.

It is from this collaborative angle that academics should develop their partnerships, linkages, collaboration and exchange their skills through scholars, students and share the research projects and programmes which will result and bring home the strength of tourism through ICTP. Partnerships are critical in attracting resources to plan, manage and evaluate the ICTP strategies. For the success of ICTP we need to develop solid partnerships and strong linkages among all the players and develop a sense of sharing a common vision and let’s enjoy that.

Green Growth has become a policy focus that emphasizes environmentally sustainable economic progress to foster low-carbon, and socially inclusive development. This is a globally relevant approach to sustainable economic growth, it is imperative that we support the policy initiatives to continue with economic growth to alleviate poverty and to achieve social progress in our various countries. However, increased environmental degradation, climate change and diminishing natural resources require an unconventional approach to support our economic activities.

In order to achieve Green Growth it is crucial to change development approaches to a more responsible long-term attitude. Governments can promote this by encouraging economic growth with an emphasis on environmental and social concerns.

Environmental Economics:

Environmental economics is distinguished from ecological economics that emphasizes the economy as a subsystem of the ecosystem with its focus upon preserving natural capital. (Jeroen C.J.M. Van den Bergh 2001). One survey of German economists found that ecological and environmental economics are different schools of economic thought, with ecological economists emphasizing “strong” sustainability and rejecting the proposition that natural capital can be substituted by human-made capital. (Illge L, Schwarze R. 2006). A matter of opinion.

Central to environmental economics is the concept of market failure. Market failure means that markets fail to allocate resources efficiently. As stated by Hanley, Shogren, and White (2007) in their textbook Environmental economics; “A Market failure occurs when the market does not allocate scarce resources to generate the greatest social welfare. A wedge exists between what a private person does given market prices and what society might want him or her to do to protect the environment. Such a wedge implies wastefulness or economic inefficiency; resources can be reallocated to make at least one person better off without making anyone else worse off? Common forms of market failure include externalities, non-excludability and non-rivalry.

The basic problem is that if people ignore the scarcity value of the commons, they can end up expending too much effort, over harvesting resources (e.g., a fishery). Hardin theorized that in the absence of restrictions, users of an open-access resource will use it more than if they had to pay for it and had exclusive rights, leading to environmental degradation. However, Ostrom’s (1990) work on how people using real common property resources have worked to establish self-governing rules to reduce the risk of the tragedy of the commons. (Ostrom, E. 1990. Governing the commons. Cambridge University Press).

Solutions advocated to correct such externalities include environmental regulations: under this plan, the economic impact has to be estimated by the regulator. Usually this is done using cost-benefit analysis. There is a growing realization that regulations (also known as “command and control” instruments) are not as distinct from economic instruments as is commonly asserted by proponents of environmental economics.

Green Economy:

The Green Economy is one that results in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks, and ecological green economy is an economy or economic development model based on sustainable development and knowledge of ecological economics.

Karl Burkart, defines a green economy as based on six main factors:

• 1.0  Renewable energy (Solar, wind, geothermal, marine including wave, biogas, and fuel cell).
• 2.0  Green buildings ( green retrofits for energy and water efficiency, residential and commercial assessment; green products and materials, and LEED construction).
• 3.0  Clean transportation (alternative fuels, public transit, hybrid and electric vehicles, car sharing and carpooling programs.
• 4.0  Water management (water reclamation, grey water and rainwater systems, low-water landscaping, water purification, storm water management).
• 5.0  Waste management ( recycling, municipal solid, waste salvage, Brownfield, land remediation, superfund cleanup, sustainable packaging)
• 6.0  Land management ( organic agriculture, habitat conservation and restoration; urban forestry and parks, reforestation and afforestation and soil stabilization.

The global citizens center led by Kevin Danaher, defines green economy differently from the use of pricing mechanisms for protecting nature, by using the terms of a “triple bottom line”, an economy concerned with being:

• 1.0  Environmentally sustainable, based on the belief that our biosphere is a closed system with finite resources and limited capacity for self-regulation and self-renewal.
• We depend on the earth’s natural resources, and therefore we must create an economic system that respects the integrity of ecosystems and ensures the resilience of life supporting systems.
• 2.0  Socially just, based on the belief that culture and human dignity are precious resources that, like our natural resources, require responsible stewardship to avoid their depletion. We must create a vibrant economic system that ensures all people have access to a decent standard of living and full opportunities for personal and social development.
• 3.0  Locally rooted, based on the belief that an authentic connection to place is the essential pre-condition to sustainability and justice. The green economy is a global aggregate of individual communities meeting the needs of its citizens through the responsible, local production and exchange of goods and services.

The Global Green Economy Index:

The Global Green Economic Index is published annually by consultancy Dual Citizen Inc., this measures and ranks the perception and performance of 27 national green economies. This index looks at 4 primary dimensions defining a national green economy as follows: that,

• 1.0  Leadership and the extent to which national leaders are champions for green issues on the local and international stage.
• 2.0  Domestic policies and the success of policy frameworks to successfully promote renewable energy and green growth in home market.
• 3.0  Cleantech investment and the perceived opportunities and cleantech investment climate in each country.
• 4.0  Green tourism and the level of commitment to promoting sustainable tourism through government.

The green economy includes green energy generation based on renewable energy to substitute for fossil fuels and energy conservation for efficient energy use.

Because the market failure related to environmental and climate protection as a result of external costs, high future commercial rates and associated high initial  costs for research, development, and marketing of green energy sources, and green products prevents firms from being voluntarily interested in reducing environment – unfriendly activities.( Reinhardt, 1999; King and Lenox, 2002; Wagner, 2003; Wagner, et.al, 2005), the green economy may need government subsidies as market incentives to motivate firms to invest and produce green products and services. The German Renewable Energy Act, legislations of many other EU countries and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, all provide such market incentives.

Critique of the “Green Economy”:

A number of organizations have critiqued aspects of the “Green Economy”, particularly the mainstream conceptions of it based on using price mechanisms to protect nature, arguing that this will extend corporate control into new areas from forestry to water. The research organization, Etcgroup, argues that the corporate emphasis on bio-economy “will spur even greater convergence of corporate power and unleash the most massive resource grab in more than 500 years”. Venezuelan professor Edgardo Lander says that the UNEP’s report, Towards a Green Economy, while well – intentioned “ignores the fact that the capacity of existing political systems to establish regulations and restrictions to the free operation of the markets-even when a large majority of the population calls for them-is seriously limited by the political and financial power of the corporations”. Ulrich Hoffmann, in a paper for UNCTAD also says that the focus on Green Economy and “Green Growth” in particular, “based on an evolutionary (and often reductionist) approach will not be sufficient to cope with the complexities of climate change” and “may rather give much false hope and excuses to do nothing really fundamental that can bring about a u-turn of global greenhouse gas emissions”

In conclusion:

Green Growth as a policy strategy:

Green Growth is a term to describe a path of economic growth which uses natural resources in a sustainable manner. It is used globally to provide an alternative concept to standard economic growth. The term green growth has been used to describe national or international strategies. As agreed at the fifth Ministerial conference on Environment Development in Asia and Pacific Green Growth is a strategy for achieving sustainable development. It is focused on overhauling the economy in a way that synergizes economic growth and environmental protection, building a green economy in which investments in resource savings as well as sustainable management of natural capital are drivers of growth. An economy which is in closer alignment with sustainable development objectives provides opportunities for using financial resources better to meet development needs and reducing the vulnerability of socioeconomic systems to environmental change and resource constraints.

Green growth strategies can help economies and societies become more resilient as they work to meet demands for food production, transport, housing, energy and water. Strategies can help mitigate the impacts of adverse shocks by reducing the intensity of resource consumption and environmental impacts, while alleviating pressure on commodity prices. Green growth also offers competitive advantages to those countries that commit to policy innovations. The Global market for green goods and services is vast and growing fast, offering countries the dual benefit of prosperity and job creation. (Green Growth, Resources & Resilience)

OECD: in 2011 the OECD had published a strategy towards green growth. (http://www.oecd.org/document/10/0,3746)

UNEP: in 2008, UNEP led the Green Economy Initiative. (www.unep.org/greeneconomy)

Korea: in Korea green growth has become the national strategy model. Lee Myung Bak, the President of Korea, has embraced a vision of Low Carbon Green Growth as the core of the Republic’s new vision on 60^th anniversary of the founding of the nation. (“Address by President Lee Myung-bak on the 63^rd anniversary of national liberation and the 60^th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Korea”. Cheong Wa Dae 2008-08-15.