Satsa, Fair Trade Tourism partner to boost responsible tourism in SA

The Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (Satsa) and Fair Trade Tourism (FTT) have joined forces to drive responsible tourism across South Africa. The partnership aims to equip local tourism businesses with practical tools and guidance to meet the rising global demand for sustainable travel experiences while enhancing their competitiveness.

30 Jan 2025

Source: jcomp via Freepik

Rachel Nxele, Sata’s Responsible Tourism Committee chairperson, said: "This collaboration marks a pivotal moment for sustainable tourism in South Africa. It equips our members with essential tools to meet evolving global market demands whilst benefiting local communities."

According to Lisa Scriven, general manager at Fair Trade Tourism, said: "The FTT framework and support tools offer tourism businesses of any size a comprehensive, step-by-step approach to align their operations with supplier demand. Equally important, it promotes tourism, contributing to better places to live, work, and visit.”

Key initiatives include:

• Endorsement of FTT’s locally developed certification programme, aligned with international sustainability standards.
• Bi-monthly educational webinars featuring industry leaders who deliver practical insights and actionable strategies for embedding responsible tourism practices into business operations.
• Structured opportunities for tourism professionals to connect, share best practices and drive collective responsible tourism efforts.
• Creation of practical, targeted tools and resources specifically designed to address the unique responsible tourism challenges and opportunities in Southern Africa.

“Fair Trade Tourism is excited to partner with Satsa, collaboratively championing responsible tourism and making a lasting impact on our industry,” Scriven concluded.