Happy New Year! Welcome to the first FTTSA Newsflash of 2009. In this month's edition we bring you interesting news about our latest accomplishments.

Online Application for FTTSA certification is now available!

Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa (FTTSA) has officially launched the long-awaited online certification application. The user-friendly online application offers an option to save your information and return to complete it at a later stage. What's more – once you have submitted your application on the secure site, you will receive immediate scores indicating how you did! From there, you can track the progress of your application, communicate with the FTTSA Certification Team through the site's email system and even communicate with other businesses that are either certified or working towards certification via the site's forum. Check it out at www.fttsacertification.org.za . We look forward to hearing from you!

FTTSA obtains funding from the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund

FTTSA has recently obtained a new grant in the amount of R750 000 from the National Lotteries Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF). This grant will be used for tour guide training and will serve as complementary funding for the National Development Agency (NDA) and EU Block Grant projects in conjunction with FTTSA.  There will also be opportunities to train additional tour guides, possibly in partnership with provincial authorities.

The NLDTF relies on funds from the proceeds of the National Lottery. The Lotteries Act identifies the manner in which NLDTF funding may be allocated. The Minister of Trade & Industry, on the recommendation of the industry experts in the relevant Distribution Agency, makes the policy that guides the allocation of funds to the beneficiaries. It is the aim of the NLDTF that the grants made will make a difference to the lives of all South Africans, especially the most vulnerable.

The NLDTF is dedicated to improving the sustainability of the beneficiary organisations it funds. FTTSA would like to thank NLDTF for their support. For more information on the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF), please click here or email info@nlb.org.za . For more information on the FTTSA projects funded by the NDA and EU Block Grant, please visit the FTTSA website and click FTTSA projects .

FTTSA Annual Report 2007/2008

Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa 's Annual Report for 2007/2008 can now be accessed online. The Annual Report showcases the growth and accomplishments of FTTSA throughout the last financial year. Please click here to read the FTTSA Annual Report. If you would like to receive a hard copy, kindly email us at info@fairtourismsa.org.za .

The Official launch of the Sustainable Tourism Network Southern Africa website

The Network has officially been launched! The Sustainable Tourism Network Southern Africa aims to develop an integrated approach to sustainable tourism and sustainable tourism certification in the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The network is also a channel for all the SADC countries to exchange experiences and to communicate about the best practices regarding sustainable tourism. Check out the current updates and plans ahead for the regional expansion by visiting the regional website . The first regional newsletter was distributed in December 2008 to more than 300 tourism stakeholders throughout southern Africa . The regional newsletter will be distributed four times a year. Please click here to subscribe to the regional newsletter.

FTTSA attends the Local Government Tourism Indaba, 26-27 January, Cape Town

FTTSA Executive Director, Jennifer Seif attended the Local Government Tourism Indaba, hosted by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) and held at the Cape Town ICC on 26-27 January.  About 400 people were in attendance on day one which involved a series of plenary presentations. Day two consisted of working groups on various issues.

Jennifer Seif made a presentation on the first day, entitled “The Role of NGOs in facilitating local economic development in tourism,” which was well received. As a result of this informative presentation, a number of representatives of DEAT, the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) and other officials approached FTTSA for future collaboration. This will be especially helpful in implementing the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund's (NLDTF) grant to train 50 black tour guides in preparation for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa .

FTTSA welcomes

The FTTSA team welcomes Mari Palander from Finland . She is studying International Tourism Management at the NHTV Breda University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands . For the past 3 years FTTSA has been creating an opportunity for students, like Mari, from NHTV to conduct their work placement at FTTSA, whereby they gain valuable work experience in the field of sustainable tourism. Mari will be assisting the FTTSA marketing department with preparations around Indaba 2009 and various other marketing projects over the next five months. She hopes to gain more knowledge and experience in tourism management and sustainable tourism. Contact Mari at mari@fairtourismsa.org.za .

FTTSA bids farewell

FTTSA bids farewell to Lynette Ekland, who has been the Personal Assistant to the Executive Director, Jennifer Seif, for approximately three years. FTTSA thanks her for her contribution and wishes her all the best of luck with her future endeavors.

FTTSA clients listed on Green Travel Market

Green Travel Market is the virtual marketing service for sustainable tourism. It offers outbound tour operators, journalists, travel book writers and other travel professionals reliable and up-to-date information on sustainable tourism products that are currently available in the global marketplace. FTTSA-certified products have been listed on the Green Travel Market website. To view clients' listings, please click here and search under South Africa .

Bulungula school project update

Bulungula Lodge has one of the most beautiful locations on the Wild Coast of South Africa. The Lodge is a joint venture partnership between a South African entrepreneur and the Xhosa-speaking Nqileni community. Bulungula Lodge has been certified by FTTSA since May 2006. Just over a year ago, Bulungula wrote to the public appealing for help to build a school in their village. They received an unbelievably positive response from many people. After a ton of hard work and some generous donations (both big and small), building began in July last year and a beautiful school is now taking shape! Check out their blog and view some great photo's of this project by clicking here . For more information on Bulungula and how you can get involved, please email dave@bulungula.com .

The Backpack and Africa Travel Centre is the 3 rd best Hostel in Africa !

The Backpack & Africa Travel Centre based in Cape Town has won the 3rd best Hostel In Africa award! The red carpet was rolled out in Dublin on 26 January 2009 for one of the budget travel industry's most anticipated events of the year as the HOSCARS (HOStelworld Customer Annual Ratings) took place to recognise the best hostels in the world. More than 20,000 properties from across the globe, all featured on Hostelworld.com, were eligible for the awards. The winners were voted for by over 800,000 customers worldwide who booked their accommodation online and rated and reviewed the hostel on six criteria – character, security, location, staff, fun and cleanliness.

The Backpack has been certified by FTTSA since February 2006. For more information on The Backpack, please click here or take a look at www.hostelworld.com .

New York Times names South Africa a place to visit in 2009

The New York Times' annual travel guide of Places to Go has named South Africa one of the top destinations to visit in 2009. The Times 2009 list features 44 of the world's most compelling holiday destinations as determined by the Times' editors and readers. South Africa ranks 20th on the list of places to go in 2009 according to readers, and 34th according to editors.

Both the readers and editors of the New York Times agree, however, that South Africa is the definitive destination for "affordable luxury." Describing South Africa as an idyllic country, the annual travel guide says that with its famed safaris, world class wineries and fabulous beaches, South Africa is fast "becoming one of the best bets for American travellers looking for high-end experiences at relatively low-end prices."

Other destinations featured in the 2009 list are Rome , Berlin , Beirut , the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador and Zambia for its "less-beaten jungle path".

The USA has, in recent years, grown to become one of South Africa 's key tourism markets. In 2007 more than 275 000 Americans visited South Africa, making the USA South Africa's second biggest overseas arrival destination, after the United Kingdom. To read more, click here .

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Calling entrepreneurs for sustainable development: SEED Awards 2009 is open for submissions

Winners of the 2009 SEED Awards for entrepreneurship in sustainable development receive a tailored package of support services, worth up to $40,000, to help their venture to become established and to increase their impact. This includes access to relevant expertise and technical assistance, meeting new partners and building networks, developing business plans and identifying sources of finance. Check detailed eligibility criteria and apply now by visiting SEED . Before submitting your application, you will be asked to first complete an eligibility checklist. The deadline for applications is 16 March 2009. Application forms can be filled in online or downloaded from the SEED Initiative website .

The SEED Initiative was founded by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) to deliver concrete progress towards the internationally-agreed, aspirational goals in the UN's Millennium Declaration and the commitments made at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in 2002. 

RESOURCES

Making sustainable seafood choices

The Southern African Sustainable Seafood Initiative (SASSI) expanded its awareness programme to restaurants, retailers and wholesalers, encouraging them to help conserve local fish species by promoting fish that are plentiful in supply. The initiative, which has the support of the local branch of the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF), aims to shift demand for seafood from over-exploited species - such as kingklip, kabeljou, and Cape salmon - to more sustainable species. "There is a global concern about the serial depletion of the world's oceans, and SASSI joins a growing movement of similar awareness campaigns that promote more responsible seafood choices to the consumer," SASSI project coordinator Timony Siebert told SAinfo this week. For more information, please click here .

The report on aviation and tourism

The World Development Movement has released a report with the New Economics Foundation, which investigates the impact that halting the growth in UK aviation would have on tourism in developing countries.

The report argues that:

1) The vast majority of aviation tourists from the UK go to Europe, or to richer parts of the world such as North America and Japan . Only around 10% go to developing countries. Initially halting the growth in aviation can be done by tackling short haul flights. Short haul flights can be reduced by introducing the “carrot” of better rail services and the “stick” of higher taxes on aviation and an end to airport expansion. These would not impact developing countries.

2) If, however, the growth in UK tourism to developing countries is halted, this would have a small impact on the growth in the economies of countries that receive a proportionally large number of UK tourists. By 2020, the economies of Kenya , Thailand and the Dominican Republic would have had 1-4% less GDP growth than they would have had if UK aviation grew as currently planned. There are some small countries who would suffer more (the Maldives would lose 3% growth). Measures will need to be taken to compensate such countries when long-haul flight growth is reduced. To read more go to, Plane Truths .

Renewable Energy for Tourism

The South African tourism industry is facing numerous challenges: rising energy prices, a global economic slowdown, the threat of interrupted electricity supply and the practical difficulties of operating in an environmentally sustainable way. For most of these issues, renewable energy could serve as a sustainable solution. The industry, however, lacks access to appropriate, user-friendly renewable energy knowledge. For this reason, Restio Energy is proposing to compile a handbook on Renewable Energy for Tourism, specifically focusing on South Africa . If you would like to know more about the concept, please download a short concept note document here . For further assistance or if you wish to send your feedback, letters of support or financing options, please email Wikus Kruger or phone +27 21 850 0771.

Travel and Tourism's Top Ten Emerging Markets - New Report from Tourism Intelligence International

Tourism Intelligence International launched its new Market Intelligence Report on Travel and Tourism's Top Ten Emerging Markets. The report addresses the potential of travel and tourism's top emerging markets, one of them being South Africa . This innovative report reviews the factors that drove travel industry growth of traditional markets (Europe, USA and Japan) and examines the extent to which the same factors are at play in the emerging markets (such as economic prosperity, paid holidays and the search for sun, sea and sand), as well as other contributing factors.

The differences between the maturing markets ( Britain , Germany ) and the Top Ten Emerging Markets are highlighted and the future prospects and market peculiarities are investigated. This report is a must read for those companies and countries interested in targeting these important and growing Emerging Markets. To place your order or questions please email Barbara Morris Tourism Intelligence International.

EVENTS

ITB Berlin 2009: Berlin , Germany , 11-15 March 2009

The ITB is the world's leading Travel Trade Show. It is a good show for networking and is a marketing place for the worldwide tourism industry . The ITB Berlin Convention Market Trends & Innovations 2009 will offer you once again an up-to-date and visionary convention program on the latest trends and innovative business models in global tourism. FTTSA Executive Director, Jennifer Seif, will be present at this year's ITB. If you would like to meet with her at ITB, contact info@fairtourismsa.org.za . For more information on the ITB Travel Trade Show, click here .

Indaba 2009, Inkosi Albert Luthuli Convention Centre ( Durban ICC) &

Durban Exhibition Centre (DEC), 9-12 May 2009

Indaba is one of the largest tourism marketing events on the African calendar and one of the top three ‘must visit' events of its kind on the global calendar. 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. The FTTSA team will be present at Indaba. The FTTSA stand number will be confirmed closer to the event date. If you would like to meet with FTTSA at this year's Indaba, please email us on info@fairtourismsa.org.za . For more information on Indaba 2009, please go to Indaba 2009 .

Tourism for Development: Environmental Sustainability, Poverty Reduction and Empowering Communities Conference, Gaborone , Botswana , 1-3 July 2009

The Association for Tourism and Leisure Education (ATLAS) Africa, University of Botswana , the International Geographical Union's (IGU) Commission of Tourism, Leisure and Global Change will be hosting the ATLAS Africa conference in Gaborone , Botswana from 1-3 July 2009. For more information, click  here or to register email  ATLAS.

Did you know?

According to South African Tourism's most recent statistics, overall tourism arrivals for the period January to October 2008 increased by 5.4% totalling 7.8 million arrivals. A breakdown of the statistics reveals that 247 000 Americans visited SA during the period, a 5.3% increase when compared to the same period in 2007. European arrivals increased by 2% while Middle East and Mainland Africa arrivals increased by 13.8% and 6% respectively. For more information, please click here .

Give us your comments!

FTTSA has been sending the newsflash for over 6 years. Each year the FTTSA database of world-wide newsflash subscribers grows significantly. Do you find our newsflash informative and/or of use to you? Please send us your feedback or suggestions to info@fairtourismsa.org.za .