Responsible tourism in South Africa
There's a new consciousness rising in the world. Tourists want to engage more in the destinations they visit. They're thinking about how they live, how they travel, how they can do something positive. South Africa offers some of the most meaningful ways for visitors to do exactly that.
In South Africa you can offset carbon emissions while uplifting communities at the same time, through Food and Trees for Africa. After calculating your carbon footprint via their calculator, your donation will help plant fruit and indigenous trees in schools, clinics and the backyards of impoverished areas.
Another South African responsible tourism initiative allows you to check whether the seafood item you're eyeing on the menu is endangered or not.
The South African Sustainable Seafood Initiative (SASSI) gives you the simple option of texting your choice to a mobile number. Within minutes, you'll have your reply. The fish may be labeled ‘green' (feel free to order), ‘orange' (in trouble, but legal to eat) or ‘red' (kindly desist).
Becoming a responsible tourist can also be a matter of choosing the right accommodation. And there are plenty of choices, as you'll find wherever you find the RT icon on this website.
Just by staying at these destinations, you can ensure minimal impact on the environment, maximum positive social spinoff, and a feel-good factor all round.
South Africa's environmental tourism initiatives have great social resonance. "Tourism is the world's largest industry. But if it isn't fair, it won't be sustainable," explains Jennifer Seif, national coordinator of Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa (FTTSA).
"The people whose culture, land and labour are used for tourism should get their fair share of the rewards. Their knowledge, heritage and natural resources make their destination unique. Fair Trade in Tourism SA humanises responsible tourism in South Africa. A holiday in this country becomes richer, more real, more local.