Atta launches Sustainability Charter at Experience Africa
In their role as the voice of African tourism, Atta, (The African Travel and Tourism Association) is deepening its commitment to sustainable practices by publishing the Atta Sustainability Charter at Experience Africa, 2019.
It was estimated in 2017 that, 9.3 million jobs, 2.6% of all the employment in Africa, were generated by direct employment in the tourism industry. Many of these jobs are in rural areas where there are no alternative sources of employment. In addition to employment, tourism has a positive impact on economic, social and environmental sustainability and in many cases is a positive force for the conservation of wildlife.
2019 has seen a growing consciousness around issues of sustainability, climate change and concerns about the scarcity of resources, such as water and pollution from plastics. Corporate social responsibility has become a mainstreamed concept in the business community.
Fiona Jeffery, OBE Chair Atta, explains “Sustainability within tourism is an issue that’s been on the agenda for over 25 years but only in the last 12 months has it started to become part of everyone’s day to day language as the impact of climate change is better understood. Africa is one of the most likely impacted continents by climate change and some African tourism businesses lead the way in terms of their commitment to protecting the environment, wildlife, biodiversity and lifting communities out of poverty.”
Furthermore, visitors are expressing more concern about sustainability issues in the destinations they are choosing and the services they are purchasing. The ABTA Travel Trends report for 2019 found that 45% of holidaymakers say sustainability is an important element when booking a holiday, compared to 20% in 2011.
To reflect its commitment to improving tourism practises Atta is launching the Atta Sustainability Charter at Experience Africa, 2019. The charter, inspired by the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, outlines ten principles specific to the African tourism context and encourages its members to endorse them and put them into practice.
Fiona Jeffery OBE explains; “By establishing an Atta Sustainability Charter our aim is to unify our members with a template that outlines best practise principles giving members a recognised framework to work from and build off. The Atta Sustainability Charter also works within the internationally agreed global framework for tourism by following the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the UNWTO Global Code of Ethics and the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria. The desire is to create greater member commitment and engagement and Atta will be building off the charter to provide tools and guidance for its members to become champions of sustainable tourism”.
Atta had been committed to championing sustainable practices and Shelley Cox, the co-founder of Africa Conservation Travel, is the advisory board member on the issues of sustainability and conservation. She adds, “to tackle the challenges surrounding sustainability, we believe it is more important than ever that an ethos of collaboration is fostered for greater impact. Through the Atta membership, we are aiming to provide a platform for specialists in the sustainability sector to advise our members, whilst also providing a platform for members to share ideas, experiences, successes and challenges on issues of sustainability. We in the African tourism landscape have a united responsibility to ensure our commitment to sustainable practices for the longevity of the landscape and wildlife in Africa, and we are excited at the prospect of being a vehicle to encourage, assist and provide support to ensure action and impact, whilst also providing awareness of the successes many of our members have already achieved in this realm.”
United States moves closer to re-joining UNWTO
Baku, Azerbaijan, 17 June 2019 – The United States of America has highlighted its support of tourism as a driver of sustainable development. A high-level delegation of the Government attending the World Tourism Organization Executive Council announced that the US is exploring the possibility of re-joining the UN agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and accessible tourism.
Passengers flying kulula can now use phones throughout flights
kulula.com announced today that all passengers flying on South Africa’s most successful low-cost airline are allowed to start making use of their Portable Electronic Devices (PEDs), during all phases of their flight journey, when flying on its routes across South Africa.
Devices that will now be allowed to stay powered onboard include, but aren’t limited to handheld, lightweight electronic devices such as tablets, e-readers, smartphones and other small devices such as MP3 players, electronic toys and smartwatches.
“We have worked very closely with the South African Aviation authority to approve this new policy on our aircraft, which is a significant enhancement to our customer experience onboard”, says Shaun Pozyn, Head of Marketing at kulula.com. “Taking into consideration our commitment to safety and the needs of our passengers, we are delighted to announce that passengers will now be able to read e-books, play games, watch videos and get some business done from gate-to-gate. In short, this means that passengers can now use their devices as soon as they set foot onboard our aircraft and keep it on for their entire journey.”
When using PED’s onboard, passengers should always keep the below in consideration:
- Make safety your first priority.
- Devices must be used in airplane mode or with the cellular connection disabled. You can also continue to use short-range Bluetooth accessories, like wireless keyboards.
- Properly stow heavier devices under seats or in the overhead bins during take-off and landing. These items could impede evacuation of an aircraft or may injure you or someone else in the event of turbulence or an accident.
- During the safety briefing, put down electronic devices, books and newspapers and listen to the crewmember’s instructions.
- Always follow crew instructions and immediately turn off your device if asked to do so.
Hire a professional wildlife filmmaker as your safari guide
Guests at The Hide and Changa Safari Camp in Zimbabwe can now book to have professional wildlife filmmaker, Neil Fairlie, accompany them as a photography guide during their safari.
Fairlie is from Zimbabwe and has over a decade of experience, which includes work on the recent Netflix series, Our planet.
He can be booked for either single travellers or groups, subject to availability. Prices range from US$400 per day for one to four people, to $200 per day for five or more people. Both options include Neil’s services and a private vehicle.
Kelly Hougaard, Marketing and Sales Manager at the Hide and Changa Safari Camp, says the preferred number of guests would be a maximum of six, as this fits with the available vehicles and allows for each guest to have a window seat. Larger groups can be arranged, depending on the specific guest requirements.
As Fairlie will be working between the two camps, Hougaard points out that his services will be booked on a first-come, first served basis with Fairlie travelling between the camps, depending on the booking.
Tourism Update
Photo: Lions by Neil Fairlie
New lodge to open in Hwange
Nantwich Lodge is set to open next month in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe. The lodge has nine suites, sleeping two guests each, one of which is a honeymoon suite.
Spokesperson, Marguerite Engelbrecht, commented: “The main area and chalets all overlook a large dam that draws wildlife from across the plains. The dam itself has a resident hippo and crocodile. The camp will also have an infinity pool and a bar in an area separate from the main area. The main area at Nantwich Lodge has a lounge and open-plan kitchen for an interactive culinary experience.”
Activities include wildlife viewing on game drives and guided bush walks.
Hwange is the largest national park in Zimbabwe and is home to 400 different species of bird and 107 types of mammals. Located just an hour south of the Victoria Falls, and three and half hours from Bulawayo, Hwange is easily accessible from both Victoria Falls and Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo (Bulawayo) International Airports.
Airbnb raises concerns over new SA proposed regulations
The current draft of the Tourism Amendment Bill fails to distinguish between the formal and informal accommodation sectors and could create unfair conditions for home sharing, according to Airbnb.
A proposed amendment to the Bill authorises the Minister to determine “thresholds with regard to short-term home rental”.
In a notice sent to Airbnb hosts recently, the company expressed its concerns and called on hosts to make their voices heard by writing to the Ministry.
“If passed, the amendment will provide the Tourism Minister with the authority to introduce thresholds to short-term rentals,” the letter reads. “While Airbnb supports fair and proportional rules that benefit local people, we are concerned that this Bill opens up the possibility to create unfair conditions for home sharing.”
Velma Corcoran, Country Manager Sub-Saharan Africa at Airbnb, told Tourism Update that while the platform supported regulation, the current proposals needed work.
“We believe that there is a clear difference between occasionally sharing space in your home and running a corporate hotel chain, but current proposals don’t make that distinction,” she said.
“To make sure that rules work for the many, not the few, we want to continue working with the government on clear, fair and proportionate rules that distinguish between occasional hosts and big businesses. Rules need to help spread the benefits of tourism and encourage everyone to take part in South Africa’s vibrant tourism scene – not just big hotel chains.”
While the amendment does not specify whether the thresholds will be based on bed nights or revenue, a representative from the Department of Tourism stated at a recent stakeholder meeting that the thresholds could be according to the number of nights, adding that this would ensure all Airbnb hosts got their share of guests.
There are more than 60 000 South African homes listed on Airbnb, and the platform accounts for one in eight visitors to South Africa.
Regulation of the informal accommodation market, and Airbnb, in particular, is something the industry has long been lobbying for, citing unfair competition from Airbnb hosts who do not register for tax and are not subject to the same compliance required of guesthouses and bed and breakfast establishments.
“This came as a necessity,” Tourism Business Council of South Africa CEO, Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa, told Tourism Update of the proposed amendments. He also said, though, that on what basis the thresholds would be determined and applied needed to be clarified.
For example, he said, if the thresholds were determined by a number of days, it didn’t necessarily mean that the host could not exceed this, but rather that hosts accommodating guests beyond these thresholds would need to register as a business.
Tshivhengwa emphasised that the Bill was still in draft and open to consultation.
“Hopefully, in a few months, a decision can be taken for the benefit of everyone in the industry. I don’t think that there will be adverse effects on anyone,” he said, adding that short-term rental would always have its place as a subsector.
The TBCSA is making a submission together with its affiliate associations, including Satsa and Fedhasa (Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa)
Desert Express Train schedule released
Namibian Reservations has announced that the Desert Express train will be operational again from the end of June.
Details about the weekend Windhoek-Swakopmund have been released, with passengers able to choose either a one-way or return trip.
Day 1- Fridays
Check-in will take place at the Windhoek Railway Station at 11h00. Guests can visit the Railway Museum before boarding at 12h30, where welcoming drinks and lunch will be served. At 14h00 the train stops at Okapuka Ranch for a game drive followed by a stop at Okahandja for biltong and droe wors. An à la carte dinner is served at 19h00 before the train stops overnight at a secure siding.
Day 2- Saturdays
Breakfast is served en route to Swakopmund, followed by a dune excursion at 08h00 before arriving at Swakopmund railway station to disembark. After check-in and departure at 13h30, guests will be served lunch. A late afternoon sundowner at Stingbank is followed by a braai or poitjie at a secure siding at 19h00.
Day 3 – Sundays
Breakfast en route to Okahandja starts at 07h00 followed by a visit the Okahandja craft market. At 11h00 passengers arrive at Okapuka where they will see cheetah feeding and enjoy a buffet lunch. On returning to Windhoek, guests will disembark. – Tourism Update
African Bush Camps opens Linyati Expeditions
African Bush Camps recently opened Linyanti Expeditions, within the Linyanti Private Concession in northern Botswana.
The camp has just six tents, each accommodating two people. They are built on stilts and have an en-suite bathroom with toilet, basin, and bucket showers. The lightweight, steel-framed beds can be pulled out into a netted area, allowing guests to sleep under the open sky.
Guests will also be able to take part in walking safaris, led by a head guide, Dutch Kasale, where they will follow animal trails and learn about the medicinal uses of plants in the area. – Tourism Update
Kenya Airports Authority to host Routes Africa 2019
Routes Africa, the intra-Africa route development forum, will this year be hosted by the Kenya Airports Authority.
Routes Africa, which returned to the aviation event calendar last year with a successful event in Ghana, will take place this year in Mombasa in Kenya as part of a long-term commitment by Routes to help develop new routes to, from and within the continent.
To be held 8-10th December at the PrideInn Paradise, Shanzu Beach in Mombasa, Kenya, the event will be the 13th Routes Africa. As the region’s most longstanding aviation forum, the event has been bringing airlines, airports and tourism authorities together to discuss air services to, from and within Africa for over a decade.
2019’s edition of Routes Africa will see 250 delegates come together to experience the Routes African conference program and to take part in around 600 face-to-face meetings over the course of two business days. The Routes Africa conference program brings together airline CEOs and C-Suite speakers who will take to the stage to discuss the future of aviation within Africa and the most pressing issues facing the industry, while ASM Global, the world’s first provider of route development courses, will deliver their Route Development Accreditation course. This course, developed exclusively for Routes Africa, will provide attendees with tools and techniques to help them attract new routes and increase existing services, and all delegates attending will benefit from certification of attendance.
Routes Africa 2019 will be hosted by Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), a State Corporation that is charged with the responsibility of providing and managing a coordinated system of airports in Kenya. Established in 1991 through an Act of Parliament, KAA facilitates infrastructure for aviation services between Kenya and the outside world, currently running 5 international airports, 5 domestic airports and 9 airstrips.
The event will be supported by other Kenyan organisations, including the Kenya Tourism Board, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority and Kenya Wildlife Services.
Jonny Andersen Managing Director/CEO, Kenya Airports Authority said “Kenya is a regional aviation powerhouse in the region. Our geographical location gives us an advantage in connections to most international hub cities in the world. Kenya’s centralized proximity to Europe, Asia, Middle East, Americas and the rest of Africa makes this a profitable aviation route. Our status as a trade and tourist regional hub also makes Kenya an attractive destination.
“Routes conferences provide an excellent platform for the aviation industry to meet and make business decisions, will allow us to showcase Kenya’s available facilities and attractions. We are proud to host Routes Africa and look forward to welcoming delegates to magical Kenya”.
Known for its landscapes, wildlife and cultures, Kenya attracts visitors from all over the world to experience its sweepings savannahs, tropical reefs, dense forests and snow-capped mountains, while the fertile lands export coffee, cotton, cashew nuts, and more to all around the globe.
Mombasa, Kenya’s oldest and second-largest city, is found on the coast of the Indian Ocean and benefits from acres of protected land and sea, with white sand beaches and a tropical climate. Visitors to the region can take an early morning game drive and spot rare wildlife in the Shimba Hills National Reserve while breath-taking underwater views await snorkelers, divers or glass-bottom boat passengers in the Mombasa Marine National Park.
As a developing nation, Kenya has experienced many challenges to overcome, but with its abundant natural resources, and a diverse but cohesive population, Kenya’s vision for the future is to emerge as a leader among African nations.
Steven Small, brand director for Routes, said: “We’re so excited to be returning to Africa in this beautiful city. We are sure that hosting Routes Africa 2019 will help the Kenya Airports Authority in achieving their goals, and we have no doubt that our delegates will enjoy this unique location and have a memorable time in Mombasa.”
Source: Aviation Pros
Medical tourism destinations you should know about
Combining a holiday with an elective or cosmetic procedure is still a popular choice for many travellers.
Recently medicaltourismmag.com reported that: “ In 2016, over 11 million travellers left the shores of the US in search of different countries around the world seeking affordable healthcare.”
But choosing the right destination for your medical procedure can be daunting. This list updated by Healthy Travel Media the publisher of Patients Beyond Borders — is a great place to start your research.
India
- One of the most visited countries for tourist health care.
- Cost effective and quality care.
- Accredited private health care facilities offer travel packages, including the cost of the procedure.
- Zero to reasonable waiting times.
- Popular because of a favourable exchange rate for American and European visitors.
- World-class cosmetic and dental surgeons.
- Tourist choose beach holidays or safari’s before and after procedures
- Best known for cosmetic surgery procedures.
- Ranked number one in Latin America for healthcare.
- Be careful of non-accredited hospitals and unregistered surgeons.
- Florianopolis and Sao Paulo are the top two cities for cutting-edge medical technology.
- The highest number of internationally accredited hospitals in South-East Asia.
- Favourable exchange rate.
- Half a million people visit for medical procedures each year.
- Best known for cosmetic and dermatological surgeries.