On Wednesday November 10th at the premiere forum for international tourism in London, World Travel Market, the prestigious Responsible Tourism Awards recognized South Africa’s Calabash Lodge & Tours. Calabash not only captured the Best for Poverty Reduction Award but also received the Best Overall Winner Award. Over 700 nominations were received from tourists from around the world – including one from Archbishop Desmond Tutu – and a panel of tourism experts made the final decisions.

The awards are divided into ten categories and include Best Hotel, Best Tour Operator, Best for Innovation, and Best for Poverty Reduction. This year the Best Overall Winner was presented jointly to two tourism establishments: Calabash Lodge & Tours, located in South Africa, and Exodus, a tour operator group based in the United Kingdom.

From its inception in 1997, Calabash Lodge & Tours has set itself apart from other tour operators. Calabash is a commercial venture with a strong social agenda founded on developing the communities that tourists visit. Working closely with the independent Calabash Trust, Calabash ensures that local people benefit from tourists’ visits by procuring goods and services from community projects or locally owned township businesses. Calabash Trust runs programmes in nearby townships benefiting children and youth with a focus on education, food provision, cultural exchange, and provision of furniture and educational equipment. Calabash staff are drawn from local communities and many of its tour guides were previously unemployed. Calabash also attempts to purchase all goods from businesses within a 50 km radius and supports informal traders.

In recognition for its emphasis on equitable and sustainable tourism, Calabash Lodge & Tours was certified by Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa (FTTSA) in February 2004. FTTSA is an independent non-profit organisation that awards a special trademark or label to tourism establishments in South Africa that meet Fair Trade criteria. The criteria include fair wages and working conditions, fair operations, fair distribution of benefits, ethical business practice, and respect for human rights, culture and the environment.

Calabash owner, Paul Miedema, cites the FTTSA assessment and certification process as one of the key reasons for their edge in the Responsible Tourism Award competition. “Calabash has always been committed to balancing the needs of the tourist with the needs of the community,” says Paul. “The rigorous FTTSA assessment and certification process has been invaluable.”

Jennifer Seif, national coordinator of FTTSA offered her congratulations to Calabash. “FTTSA’s role in the tourism sector is to focus on the often overlooked social and economic impacts of tourism development, and to ensure that responsible business practice is recognized. Calabash deserves this recognition,” says Seif. “They show a consistent commitment to the community and truly practice what they preach.”