The Stellenbosch community-based tourism social enterprise, Township and Village, was awarded GOLD at the Africa Responsible Tourism Awards, at WTM on 10 April 2025.
Township and Village is a tourism social enterprise that develops and sells community-based cultural and historical experiences for tourism entrepreneurs who deliver the products in their communities, in and around Stellenbosch.
The Township and Village social enterprise was co-founded by socio-economic development specialist Nicolette Booyens and the non-profit Stellenbosch Entrepreneur and Enterprise Development Trust (SEED) in July 2018 to promote local economic development through tourism. The social enterprise start-up was funded by Stellenbosch Municipality, Stellenbosch University, Old Mutual Foundation and Greater Stellenbosch Trust (GST).
The purpose of the social enterprise is to create market access for community-based tourism entrepreneurs and to develop high-quality, authentic, and culturally significant tourism experiences. “This initiative gives expression to the South African tourism-led economic development strategy and is a blueprint for successful community-based tourism development”, says co-founder and Regenerative Tourism lead at Visit Stellenbosch, Nicolette Booyens.
Visit Stellenbosch partnered with Township and Village in 2020, as part of their Regenerative Tourism drive, and provides strategic tourism consultation, marketing support and product development funding through the Cape Winelands District Municipality LTA and BR&E funding programmes.
Rene Momberg was appointed to manage the social enterprise in June 2022, and together with Leana Kotze of SEED and the ongoing support of GST, they have grown the entity to new heights. “We are thrilled to share that we’ve achieved something truly incredible at Township and Village! This recognition from WTM Africa is not just a personal milestone for me, but evidence of our team’s passion, dedication, and commitment to sustainable tourism. Township and Village will continue to bring visitors into community-based spaces by creating meaningful experiences that enlighten, teach, discover, entertain and create community heritage recognition. Thank you for the unwavering support of our Joint Venture partner, Visit Stellenbosch, and all of our funders that have helped to make this a reality.”, says Rene Momberg Head of Growth, Experiences and Strategic Partnerships of Township and Village.
Township and Village is a social enterprise with sustainability as a central goal and positioned to alleviate the two biggest problems emerging tourism entrepreneurs face, which are product development and access to formal tourism markets.
Township and Village offers an extensive range of unique experience products, each operated by one or multiple independent service providers (tourism entrepreneurs) that benefit directly from the trade procured. To find out more, visit https://townshipandvillage.co.za/.
“Stellenbosch is leading the way in tourism growth in South Africa, attracting an enviable visitor profile. The reality is that this growth doesn’t always translate into financial benefits for community-based tourism entrepreneurs. The challenge lies in limited market access, which leads to a low consumption rate of local offerings.
That’s why, together with our partners, we’re committed to driving systemic change through our Regenerative Tourism Strategy — focusing on community-based enterprise development, youth employment, deeper sector integration, and truly sustainable practices. It’s not just about growth, but about inclusive, lasting impact.” says Visit Stellenbosch CEO, Annemie Liebenberg
Ultimately, it takes a village to bring about meaningful change, and the multi-dimensional partnership approach in Stellenbosch is aligned with the objective of Sustainable Development Goal #17: “Partnerships for the goals”. Township and Village attest to the commitment and integration of the Stellenbosch tourism industry, local government, education providers and civil society.