Welcome to Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa (FTTSA)'s February 2010 Newsflash.

In this month's edition we showcase the first FTTSA-certified tourism businesses and bring you an exciting account of our latest accomplishments!

Celebrating 8 years of FTTSA certification status
On 22 October 2003, eight years ago, the first four FTTSA-certified tourism establishments were announced. We dedicate February 2010's newsflash to the following outstanding tourism businesses:

Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve is situated on the southern section of the Kruger National Park and offers four luxurious and award winning lodges with different characters. Apart from offering luxurious accommodation, Sabi Sabi Game Reserve's community investment activities focus on long-term commitment to specific initiatives that benefit the communities in the areas where Sabi Sabi staff reside such as the Lillydale Environmental Education Centre; staff enjoy the benefit of programmes that include adult literacy, English proficiency, financial planning, business orientation, and HIV/AIDS awareness. Sabi Sabi also ensures the support of local and emerging service providers through out-sourcing and procurement. Visit Sabi Sabi to experience luxury while contributing to sustainability.

Shiluvari Lakeside Lodge is positioned in the midst of local arts and crafts routes in Limpopo and demonstrates its long-term support to the local artisans and communities by promoting the various routes and stocking only local crafts in-house. Staff development is given high priority and the lodge has a culture of staff participation and education; a significant achievement has been its success in establishing the Ribolla Tourism Association with the numerous artists that live in the area, which collectively markets the areas wide array of tourist attractions. Shiluvari is situated on the banks of the Luvhuvhu river and is the perfect site from which to explore the rich diversity of cultures, and the natural beauty of the Northern reaches of Limpopo Province . Visit Shiluvari Lakeside Lodge and remember “Ku dya hiku engeta” (“Once you have tasted, you will want to return”).

Spier was the first luxury hotel in South Africa to become FTTSA-certified. Standing on the banks of the Eerste River , near the historic town of Stellenbosch , Spier is just 20 minutes drive from Cape Town International Airport . Spier offers visitors a variety of authentic experiences from food and wine to outdoor activities in beautiful surroundings. A comprehensive strategy to achieve triple-bottom-line sustainability targets (including carbon emissions, water and waste management, energy use and poverty eradication) are ambitiously addressed and then documented for public reference on their website. Please see Spier's Annual Sustainability Report or more information, click here.

Stormsriver Adventures was the first activity to become FTTSA-certified in 2003 due to its wide range of sustainability measures. The team of this treetop canopy tour in the Tsitsikamma Forest demonstrate commendable commitment to upliftment of local communities through skills development and HIV/AIDS education and awareness raising (to name a few); community development includes environmental education for local schools, food provision, programmes in schools, development of local crafting, distribution of clothing to the poor, animal welfare education, and support for home-based care groups; local recycling initiative is currently being driven by Stormsriver Adventures as part of the company's sustainable development philosophy; environmental policy is rigidly applied, ensuring the protection of the surrounding sensitive environment.

Check out their new triple adventure – or Eco Combo - ticket which is aimed at inspiring visitors to book in advance for the privilege of completing all three of the activities, and to encourage visitors to ‘stay for the day'. For details visit Stormsriver Adventures.

All FTTSA-certified establishments are pioneers of a tourism concept that embraces the globally recognised fair trade principles of fair wages, sustainable environmental practices, improved social services and investment in local economic infrastructure. T o find out about more amazing FTTSA-certified tourism businesses, please visit FTTSA go on holiday.

FTTSA wins the Africa (Ai) Tourism Investor Award
FTTSA has once more added to its accolades with its recent award winning of the Ai Tourism Awards under the “ Best Sustainable Tourism Investment” category . The Africa investor (Ai) Tourism Awards were created to showcase Africa's opportunities and achievements in the tourism sector to the rest of the world, collectively raise awareness about Africa as a tourism destination and reward those groups developing the African tourism industry as a vehicle to drive sustainable economic growth.

This award is also dedicated to the late Jen Caldwell who worked greatly on the award entry and to all the FTTSA supporters. To view FTTSA's other accolades, please click here.  

FTTSA certifies Buccaneers Lodge and Backpackers
FTTSA has added to its portfolio, Buccaneers Lodge and Backpackers which is situated in Chintsa West, 35km north of East London on the Wild Coast. Owned by the Price family, Buccaneers is known for its good range of accommodation, designed to suit any type of traveller. A highlight of the Buccaneers' experience is the great choice of trips and activities on offer. Buccaneers' contribution to environmental management includes capturing grey water in storage units of which a large percentage is used in irrigation and compost production and sending its organic waste to support a local pig farm.

Buccaneers is also actively involved in a range of social contributions in the Chintsa area such as their extensive work at the Bulugha Farm School, which was built in the early 80's. The Price family has supported this local school for the past 20 years. With donations from guests, they were able to put in electricity, set up a computer room and a run a feeding scheme at the school. The program employs a cook and provides two cooked meals a day for almost 200 children. Click here to visit Buccaneers Lodge and Backpackers.

African Shark Eco-Charters is awarded certification by FTTSA
African Shark Eco-Charters is a cage diving company that operates from Simon's Town, only 40 minutes outside Cape Town . The shark trips offer an ocean-based experience that provides insight into Great White Shark predation, breaching, viewing and cage diving.

African Shark Eco-Charters not only demonstrates a commitment towards operating in an environmentally responsible manner, but also complies with Marine and Coastal Management's requirements and regulations. They offer ongoing, systematic education about Great White Shark conservation to staff and guests. They also make excellent use of local and black-owned suppliers in the immediate area and continuously investigate new procurement opportunities. In addition, African Shark Eco-charters belongs to The Great White Shark Protection Foundation. To experience shark cage diving conducted in an environmentally responsible manner, visit African Shark Eco-Charters.

New Sustainable Tourism Network South Africa (STNSA) website is now live
The STNSA website provides access to up-to-date news stories about sustainable tourism in Southern Africa and around the world. Each SADC country has a dedicated page of tourism policy information and another for sustainable travel information. A significant number of tourism resources have also been made available, for example information about sustainable tourism awards and certification programmes, research reports, best practice guides, preferred travel guides, past newsletters, a global sustainable tourism criteria self-assessment quiz and a forum page. You can register on the website which will allow you to:

roduct owners may also apply for listing on the Sustainable Travel country pages, which is a great source of exposure. Register online at STNSA . FTTSA would like to thank Sarah van Mill (2009 Interim Network Coordinator) for her tremendous contribution to the website.

Cape Town unveils Code of Responsible Pricing
Cape Town 's tourism industry stakeholders are unified in their efforts to combat damaging international perceptions of South Africa as “an expensive destination”, ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™.

In a bid to translate commitment into action, Cape Town Tourism formulated a Code of Responsible Pricing for Cape Town . The Code is endorsed and will be implemented by the City of Cape Town, the Western Cape Provincial Department of Economic Development and Tourism, Cape Town Routes Unlimited, FEDHASA (the Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa), SATSA (the South African Tourism Services Association), The Portfolio Collection, Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa, Backpackers South Africa and SAACI (the South African Association for the Conference Industry).

Establishments wishing to sign up for the Code of Responsible Pricing for Cape Town should contact Cape Town Tourism on +27 (0) 21 487 6800 or email enver@capetown.travel or visit www.capetown.travel for more information.

NATIONAL EVENTS

Hostex Cape 2010, Cape Town International Convention Centre, Cape Town , 8-10 March 2010
Hostex Cape 2010 is a renowned international hospitality & catering exhibition in South Africa . The event is recognized as the total solutions provider show, for catering and hospitality industry. The event is mainly aimed to bring together a large number of national and international buyers, suppliers, decision makers and participants from the relevant field. Hostex Cape 2010 will be a perfect location for the exhibitors to show their new and innovative products and services and to demonstrate technology solutions, to potential customers. For more information contact Specialised Exhibition Pty Ltd or +27 (0) 11 835 1565.

World Holiday and Travel Fair, Coca-Cola Dome, Johannesburg , 16-18 April 2010
Proudly presented by International Banking at ABSA, the World Holiday and Travel Fair is the only international outbound travel exhibition in southern Africa that will give visitors the opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge of what is on offer in the wonderful world of travel both within Africa and around the world. The aim of the World Holiday and Travel Fair is to bring affordable travel to all South Africans and provide holiday choices for the whole family. For more information contact Glynis Anderson Branches at info@worldtravelfair.co.za.

INDABA Trade Show, Albert Luthuli Convention Centre (Durban ICC), 8-11 May 2010
INDABA is one of the largest tourism marketing events on the African tourism industry calendar and one of the top three ‘must visit' events of its kind in the world. It showcases the widest variety of Southern Africa 's best tourism products and attracts international visitors and media from across the world. INDABA is owned by South African Tourism and organised by Kagiso Exhibitions and Events. FTTSA will be exhibiting at this year's INDABA to raise awareness about FTTSA, FTTSA-certified products and responsible tourism in South Africa .

This year FTTSA's presence will be bigger than ever! To meet with the FTTSA team or set-up an appointment, please contact FTTSA team or visit stand number DECD 020. For more information on the INDABA Trade Travel Show please visit INDABA .

INTERNATIONAL EVENTS

Touristik Nurnberg, Nuremberg Exhibition Centre , Germany , 27 February -7 March 2010
Touristik Nurnberg is the premier and one of the most popular trade events for the Tour and Travel Industry in Germany . This travel fair is a good meeting point for many tour operators, hotels, regional associations, airlines, cruises, and many other touring professionals. For more information, click here.

ITB Berlin 2010, Germany, 10-14 March 2010
ITB is the world's leading travel trade show attracting people, working in the travel industry and people, who want to catch up on the most beautiful travel destinations. The combination of trade exhibition, public exhibition and the biggest professional convention worldwide attracts tens of thousands of visitors, exhibitors and media representatives every year. FTTSA Executive Director, Jennifer Seif, and FTTSA Project Manager, Katarina Mancama will be present at this year's ITB. If you would like to meet with them at ITB, contact  info@fairtourismsa.org.za. For more information on the ITB Travel Trade Show, click here.

International Rainforest Tourism Conference, Palm Cove, Cairns , Australia , 22-24 June 2010
The aim of this conference is to provide a platform to bring together researchers interested in rainforest tourism to share ides and research findings. The conference will also provide an opportunity to share ideas with researchers who are involved with rainforest management and rainforest science. For more conference information contact Professor Bruce Prideaux at bruce.prideaux@jcu.edu.au .

ANNOUNCEMENTS

National Fly the Flag Day, 2 March 2010, South Africa
On Tuesday, 2 March, celebration of football and of Africa 's humanity will be just 100 days away. Government, FIFA, the Organising Committee (OC), South African Tourism, the International Marketing Council of South Africa (Brand South Africa ) the SABC and a range of partners in the public and private sectors are pooling ideas and initiatives to ensure that 2 March is celebrated with all the passion and vibrancy that the world associates with this young, dynamic country.

2 March is therefore earmarked as a day on which South Africans, here and abroad, are called upon to demonstrate their excitement for the tournament, and to display their passion for the country and the beautiful game. From flying the flag and blowing your Vuvuzelas, to feasting on homegrown meals and music, this day will be a celebration of what the country has already achieved in preparing for the tournament, and a chance to get our hearts and minds into the spirit of the FIFA World Cup.

For more info, click here

Fair Trade South Africa seeks Volunteers
Fairtrade South Africa (FTSA) is the umbrella organisation for the fair trade movement in South Africa , seeking to raise awareness on fair trade and provide support to all fair trade producers and stakeholders. FTSA is looking for volunteers to be ‘part of the change' and promote Fair Trade in South Africa . Volunteers would help out at promotions, tastings and events, between June and August 2010, in Johannesburg , Pretoria , Cape Town , Durban, Port Elizabeth and Bloemfontein . No previous volunteer experience is required, just reliability, enthusiasm and a commitment to the fair trade principles. Volunteers need to be available for a 4 hour training session in April or May and to participate in 5 volunteer sessions between June and August.

I f you would like to participate in this rewarding opportunity, please download the online application form from Fairtrade South Africa and e-mail the completed form to volunteer@fairtrade.org.za .

Green Tips

•  Going green: Tip 18 - Rate your building - rating your office building for greenness achieves two things. First, it forces you to measure all sorts of things that can be managed down to decrease your energy and waste bills, but it also serves as a means of comparison by which you can assess your own progress against that of your competitors and neighbours. Being able to point out to clients that your office has a good green rating doesn't hurt either. The problem with rating systems is always one of standardisation, and the Green Building Council of South Africa ( www.gbcsa.org.za ) has set up a great website with downloadable rating tools as well as a wealth of advice on building and maintaining eco-friendly office buildings. Source: Going green: 365 ways to change our world by Simon Gear. For more info, click here