Launched during South Africa’s Tourism Month, the weekly series amplifies the lived experiences, ideas, and ambitions of the people who shape African tourism from the inside out.
In celebration of South Africa’s Tourism Month, a new podcast is offering something long overdue in the African tourism landscape: a platform for authentic, unfiltered voices from across the value chain to share their stories, insights, and ideas for the future.
I Am Tourism Stories, a new weekly podcast, brings together personal and professional reflections from the people powering Africa’s tourism sector — from community leaders and policy advisors to creatives, conservationists, and entrepreneurs.
The podcast is the latest evolution of the I Am Tourism campaign launched during the COVID-19 crisis, which spotlighted the often invisible contributions of women and youth in the industry. This next chapter extends that mission — moving beyond visibility to engagement, learning, and systems change.
“We’ve always known that the people behind Africa’s travel sector hold the deepest insight into its challenges and possibilities,” says Natalia Rosa, tourism strategist and co-creator of the original campaign. “This platform is a way to listen, learn, and lead differently — together.”
Episodes prioritise candid conversation over commercial promotion, with guests invited to share what’s working, what’s not, and what’s possible.
“These stories offer reflection, challenge, clarity — and sometimes a call to operate deeper. It’s a reminder of the importance of being transparent and measurable so that our authenticity is real,” adds Melissa Foley, co-host and Community & Conservation Impact Lead for Africa’s Eden Tourism Association.
Now Streaming: Guests Include
- Adrian Lange – On designing inclusive travel for neurodiverse guests and the value of predictability, care, and sensory awareness
- Mapholo Ratau – On how culturally rooted fashion and procurement power sustainability, pride, and job creation
- Gillian Saunders – On moving from hotel cleaner to policy adviser – and why community integration is not just a programme, but a principle
- Orlando Pinto – On the untapped authenticity of Angola, and why tourism should be shaped by what’s true, not what’s marketable
- Season Opener – A conversation on how the I Am Tourism campaign evolved into a podcast, and how storytelling can become a tool for sector growth
Available Now – With New Episodes Weekly
I Am Tourism Stories is streaming on all major platforms including Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, Pocket Casts, Castbox, Overcast and GoodPods.
Guest profiles and full episodes are also hosted at: www.iamtourismstories.com
Tourism professionals — from emerging voices to seasoned leaders — are encouraged to pitch stories or nominate others with powerful insights to share.