The launch of the ATTA® for Action Awards comes at a crucial time when the global spotlight on environmental conservation and eco-conscious practices in tourism has never been more intense.

Says Nigel Vere Nicoll, ATTA® President: “Conscious tourism is vital for Africa as it promotes environmental preservation, cultural respect, and economic growth that benefits local communities directly. By recognising excellence in this area, ATTA® aims to inspire a ripple effect of transformation across all facets of the tourism industry.”

By participating in the ATTA® for Action awards, tourism organisations affirm their role as a leader in responsible tourism, demonstrating to peers, partners, and customers their commitment to purposeful travel, Vere-Nicoll adds.

Participants can enter various award categories, each focusing on different aspects of meaningful impact in tourism:

• Heart for heritage and community champion: Recognises those integrating cultural preservation and community benefits.
• Ethical wildlife experience: Honours commitments to animal welfare and conservation education.
• Eco-innovation in hospitality: Celebrates the adoption of sustainable technologies and practices in accommodations.
• Earth-friendly cuisine: Applauds culinary practices that prioritise local, seasonal produce and waste reduction.
• Meaningful engagement champion: Highlights initiatives that significantly enhance community wellbeing and eco-conscious practices.
• Digital storytelling champion: Awards compelling narratives promoting responsible travel.
• Collaborative champions of climate and social justice: Acknowledges efforts of multiple partners to address climate and social issues innovatively.
• Traveller education and awareness champion: Recognises educational programmes that promote responsible tourism behaviours.

Vere-Nicoll explains that for the inaugural ATTA® for Action Awards, a robust and transparent judging process has been established, ensuring that the highest standards of excellence in eco-conscious tourism are recognised. The process is overseen by a panel of experts, each a leader in the field of responsible tourism.

Award winners will be celebrated at an exclusive awards ceremony on the evening of 1 July on the side lines of Experience Africa, the flagship event in ATTA®’s annual calendar, run by its events division, Experience Africa Events.

Organisations interested in participating are encouraged to visit ATTA® for Action for comprehensive details on entry guidelines, application processes, and important deadlines. The deadline for submissions is 7 June 2024.

For additional information about the ATTA® for Action Awards, please visit here and contact: Melissa Foley – melissa@atta.travel

End

ABOUT ATTA®

ATTA® (The African Travel and Tourism Association) is the leading pan-African trade association promoting tourism to Africa and the Indian Ocean islands. Known as the “Voice of African Tourism,” ATTA® serves over 720 member businesses, including accommodation providers, tour operators, and travel specialists. It provides accurate industry news, hosts networking events and trade shows, and delivers valuable member training and resources. For more information, visit atta.travel.

About Experience Africa Events:

Experience Africa Events by ATTA® is the foremost platform for connecting African suppliers with top international buyers at a variety of shows. Promoting an expansive range of travel products and unique experiences from across Africa, Experience Africa Events hosts B2B events that are not just a meeting ground but a catalyst for forging essential industry connections, making these #ThePlaceToConnect for the African tourism industry.

Issued by:

Big Ambitions

Michelle Lewis-Loubser

Email:  michelle@bigambitions.co.za

The four-day gathering brought together over 100 participants from Government, NGOs, Local communities, Private Sector, Academia and Development partners.

It provided extensive opportunities for collaboration and sharing best practices, tools and innovative solutions for sustainably managing TFCA landscapes spanning over 950 million hectares across the region.

Steve Collins, SADC TFCA Network Coordinator, said: “It was incredibly encouraging to see the enthusiasm and passion for TFCAs amongst all the participants from so many different countries and sectors. Though we each play varied roles, our shared dedication to advancing transfrontier conservation unifies us.”

The Government of Mozambique hosted this milestone event, including a field visit to Maputo National Park, part of the Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation Area connecting Mozambique, Eswatini and South Africa and the first and only marineTFCA on the continent.

Delegates experienced first-hand the park’s dramatic transformation into a beacon of wildlife rehabilitation and protection having overcome the scars of a 16-year civil war which had resulted in the depletion of biodiversity. Park officials also highlighted Maputo National Park’s vast potential for generating sustainable financing and socio-economic benefits for local communities through the continued growth of nature-based tourism.

Setting the stage for the dialogue, Ndapanda Kanime, Senior Programme Officer-Natural Resources and Wildlife from the SADC Secretariat, presented the newly approved 2023-2033 TFCA Programme to establish clear goals and strategic direction for the next decade.

With an affirmed vision in place, participants could focus discussions on practical implementation, forging collaborative partnerships and overcoming pressing challenges across the TFCA landscapes.

Dedicated workstreams discussed issues such as climate change adaptation, harmonising land-use and oceans management, improving rural community livelihoods through wildlife conservation, mitigating escalating human-wildlife conflicts across the region, and building human capital through training, research and knowledge exchange.

“The diversity of players at the table helped us unpack complex topics from multiple perspectives and identify collective solutions,” explained Collins. “We realise these challenges can’t be solved in isolation.”

A major session explored sustainable financing approaches like carbon markets, debt-for-nature swaps and conservation trust funds that can reduce TFCAs’ dependence on external donor funding. “It was encouraging to see Member States really value TFCAs and proactively investigate smart, diversified financing models,” said Collins.

The meeting was supported by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through its technical cooperation (GIZ) and financial cooperation (KfW), USAID Southern Africa, IUCN and MozBio. Key international partners like the EU and IUCN updated participants on major additional TFCA support programmes unfolding across the region. This includes the German government funded TFCA Financing Facility whose second call for grants just closed. The SADC Secretariat reported steady progress approving key strategies and guidelines to formally establish and elevate TFCAs from early conceptual stages to fully operationalised. During a reviewing process of the SADC TFCA Programme, Member States amended the TFCA listing criteria which resulted in a reduction of officially recognised TFCA from 18 to 12 with another two to three likely to become recognised in 2024.

Each of the 12 formally recognised SADC TFCAs provided updates on key achievements, activities and progress between October 2022 and October 2023. For example, the Iona-Skeleton Coast Transfrontier Park advanced marketing efforts including its marine component, while the Kavango Zambezi (KAZA) TFCA conducted its first cross-border elephant survey, with an estimated elephant population of 227,900 across the Partner States of Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park coordinated patrols, maintained its fence, and approved standard operating procedures for managing carnivores and flights within the park. These updates highlighted diverse conservation, development and community engagement accomplishments across the TFCAs over the past year.

The SADC Secretariat, Boundless Southern Africa, and the GIZ Climate-Resilient and Natural Resource Management (C-NRM) project provided updates on implementation of the SADC Tourism Programme 2020-2030. Key activities include progress on the SADC “Univisa” project to facilitate regional travel, border efficiency assessments, and a benchmark study of successful air access policies, practices and infrastructure.

Marketing efforts by Boundless Southern Africa encompassed travel trade shows, press trips, social media campaigns, and itinerary development to showcase TFCAs. The programme, as was highlighted during the event, aims to strengthen regional integration, develop the tourism economy, upgrade border posts, build capacity, and promote TFCAs as world-class ecotourism destinations.

Looking ahead to the next meeting planned for late 2024, Collins concluded: “I sincerely hope that by then, we’ve operationalised more user-friendly communications platforms, formally established two to three more TFCAs, and implemented sustainable rural development and wildlife conservation projects across these landscapes. If so, we’ll have made 2023 a truly landmark year for advancing transfrontier conservation in Southern Africa.”

Ends

About the SADC TFCA Network

The SADC TFCA Network was established ten years ago in  2013 by the SADC Secretariat and its 16 Member States to foster coordination and knowledge exchange amongst the many partners involved in developing Transfrontier Conservation Areas across the region. The Network today comprises over 600 members from government, communities, NGOs, academics and development partners active in the 12 formally recognised TFCAs covering over 950,000 km2 of open ecological systems across Southern Africa.

For more information, visit www.tfcaportal.org

Contact Steve Collins, SADC TFCA Network Coordinator, steve.collins@afci.de +27828086255

Travel Reimagined

PART TWO

After more than two years of pandemic-induced travel bans and chaos, and emerging trends are revealing fascinating insights into the post-Covid traveller. This is a very different breed of traveller with different motivations and values. Tapping into what makes them tick is key to maximising on the current leisure travel boom.

Desiring the freedom of travel more than ever before, ‘revenge travel’ is huge – people taking advantage of open skies and open countries after many requirements and restrictions have been dropped.

Travellers are, however, facing rising costs due to the war in Europe and the resultant impact on fuel. Many are downscaling where they can, from expensive hotels to more affordable ones, limiting excursions and working within tighter budgets, but they are not curtailing their holidays. Meanwhile this has made local travel highly attractive.

The luxury segment

In the luxury travel and premium air travel segment a different trend can be observed. According to the latest Flywire survey, 72% of luxury travellers will be spending more on holidays in 2022 than they spent pre-pandemic.

“We must remember not every sector suffered during Covid,” explains Thompsons Holidays CEO Joanne Adolphe. “The banks, the IT sector made a lot of money and people working in those sectors now have disposable income. Many other people also managed to save money during Covid and are eager to spend it. The pent-up demand is fuelling a desire for people to spoil themselves and start ticking off their bucket lists.”

This is especially true for people in countries that imposed harsh lockdowns, like Australia. Then there’s the SKI generation trend – the ‘Spend Kids’ Inheritance’ generation. These older individuals are travelling up a storm and working through their bucket lists, often with extended families in tow.

Experiential and sustainability stays

Many travellers are specifically looking for experiences because “it’s no longer just a flop and stay holiday,” Adolphe points out. “People want to be immersed in culture or have a foodie experience. They also want to have opportunities to go out and explore. All these things have to be taken into consideration when you’re planning a client’s leisure holiday.”

Post-Covid, eco-friendly tourism is also coming through strongly. People want to know how green
a property is, what their carbon footprint will be, and whether they’re going to be benefiting the local communities.

“We’ve noticed that the age group of about 26 to 40 is very eco-conscious,” says Adolphe. “We often get the question: is it a plastic-free property? Especially when people are going to the islands.

“They’re very conscious of the environment and the impact that their choices will have. I think it’s a wonderful trend. Climate change has taken a backseat because of Covid and the war in Europe but it’s something we really have to address.”

Says Otto de Vries, CEO ASATA: “When it comes to confirming travel, sustainability efforts and initiatives are often a huge deciding factor for many customers.

“Instead of simply going on holiday, today’s leisure travellers want to learn and grow whilst giving back to the people and places they encounter during their travels. It is important for agents to develop an understanding for and deliver on the sustainability drivers of leisure travel.”

De Vries says there has definitely been a jump towards experiential travel, which often lends itself to experiences that aid personal growth and mental wellbeing.

“It is important for agents to develop an understanding for and deliver on the sustainability drivers of leisure travel.”

‘New look’ domestic travel
Local is also lekker when it comes to travel. With South Africa and the continent having so much to offer in terms of destinations, experiences and from a cost perspective, South Africans are realising they don’t have to travel abroad to have enriching holidays. Exploring their backyards is becoming more attractive.

“It’s sexy to sell Africa to South Africans!” Adolphe says. “There are those South Africans who always went to Plett, always went to the South Coast, or to Mauritius. But now they’re becoming more adventurous here in this country and more adventurous where they’re travelling the world.”

This presents an opportunity for the travel industry to grow and for domestic travel to grow by putting forward suggested destinations to clients, not merely sending them the information they requested. How long this adventurous attitude will last is difficult to determine, making it something on which to capitalise now.

Ending on a high note

The only way is clearly up for the leisure travel industry, with a big reconnect taking place, pent-up demand being unleashed and the desire of travellers to spoil themselves, coupled with the fact that many of them have more money to do so.

Leisure travel the world over is reaching pre-Covid levels and despite rising costs, there haven’t been mass cancellations. This is encouraging and presents travel agents the opportunity to recommend more affordable options should their clients be sitting on the fence.

“If we stay in this industry the next couple years, I truly believe we’re all going to reap the rewards of what we lost to Covid,” concludes Matthew Fubbs, The Holiday Factory Sales Director.

***ENDS***

WORD COUNT: 744

To request an interview with ASATA CEO, Otto de Vries, please contact Claire Lathe on 084 245 2189 or email claire@bigambitions.co.za.

For more information about ASATA, please visit www.asata.co.za.

About ASATA

Established in 1956, the Association of Southern African Travel Agents is a representative forum registered as an Association of Persons, that promotes professional service in the travel industry for both members and their clients. Representing over 95% of the travel industry in terms of market share, ASATA’s membership is voluntary and includes South African retail travel agents, travel management companies, wholesalers and suppliers of travel-related products and services.

Issued by Big Ambitions:

Natalia Rosa

natalia@bigambitions.co.za

083 449 4334

18 October 2022