Welcome to the June Edition of the FTTSA newsflash! We bring you our latest update during the month of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa

South Africa hosts the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup!
During the month of June South Africa has played host to the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, which culminates in the final match in Johannesburg on 28 June 2009. The FIFA Confederations Cup is played in the World Cup host country a year before FIFA's premier event. A total of eight nations including, Egypt, Iraq, Spain, USA, New Zealand, Brazil, Italy and the host nation South Africa, have taken part in the 2009 tournament, with nearly half a million fans in attendance over the two week period. FTTSA would like to congratulate all the teams, fans, organisers and the player that makes the final goal!  For more information about the FIFA Confederations Cup South Africa , visit http://www.fifa.com/confederationscup/index.html .

FTTSA and DBSA to collaborate on special edition of Development Southern Africa
Development Southern Africa is an internationally recognised journal that is published five times per year by Routledge Press in collaboration with the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA). A special edition focusing on tourism impacts in Africa will be published in December 2010. FTTSA's Jennifer Seif (Executive Director) and Kate-Rivett Carnac (Tourism Specialist at the DBSA) will guest edit this special edition. A full call for abstracts may be obtained by emailing FTTSA at info@fairtourismsa.org.za .  Submissions from African authors outside of South Africa and first-time authors are especially welcome. The deadline for submission of abstracts (500 words) is 31 July 2009. 

Kwam Homestay Owners learn about Sustainable Tourism
Homestay owners from the Kwam eMakana township homestay experience convened at the Duna Library Hall in Grahamstown , Eastern Cape , for FTTSA's Sustainable Tourism Workshops. Fifty learners from Kwam eMakana were invited to participate in two workshops that were held in May 2009. A total of 38 learners will receive certificates of completion.

The workshops were organised through the “Strengthening Community Tourism for Sustainable Local Economic Development” project, facilitated by FTTSA and partially funded by the National Development Agency (NDA). Kwam eMakana is one of six project beneficiaries who will receive support to help improve their community-based enterprise through capacity building and marketing assistance.

For more information on Kwam eMakana please visit FTTSA Projects . For more information about the Sustainable Tourism Workshop and other FTTSA training, please visit FTTSA.

FTTSA attends South African Youth Travel Confederation's Youth & Adventures Travel Conference (SAYTC) and Backpacking South Africa (BSA) AGM
On 27-29 May 2009, FTTSA Marketing Manager, Lolla Meyer attended the South African Youth Travel Confederation's Youth & Adventures Travel Conference (SAYTC) and the BSA AGM in St Lucia , KwaZulu Natal.

The programme consisted of a few key note speakers and covered a wide range of topics such as:

• Dr Kamilla Swart (Researcher & Consultant of the Centre for Tourism Research in Africa ) spoke about the FIFA World Cup 2010 and its impacts on the South African economy.
• Rejane Woodroffe (member of the Bulungula Incubator Project, widely published economist) gave a presentation called “Looking forward – what now for our economy and our businesses?”, which was very well received.
• Mmatsatsi Marobe (CEO of the Tourism Business Council of SA) also gave a quick address on how important the youth sector is in terms of its contribution to the tourism industry of South Africa .

FTTSA remains well respected in the youth industry. The awareness of FTTSA's role in the South African tourism industry and knowledge of our certification programme is growing day by day!

13 Local Tourist Guides Trained in Soweto
On 30 June 2009, 13 local black tourist guides will complete their NQF2 training and accreditation to be certified site guides in Soweto . The training was funded through the National Lotteries Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF) FTTSA-facilitated project “ A ccredited Tourist Guide Training for Local Youth” and is designed to help empower previously disadvantaged individuals through skills development and employment opportunities. The project aims to train and accredit 50 local black guides nationwide. The beneficiaries of the Soweto group included learners from FTTSA-certified Lebo's Soweto Backpackers, as well as a group of ex-combatants nominated by the City of Johannesburg . A graduation ceremony highlighting the learners' achievements and the contributions of stakeholders will be held in Kliptown, Soweto on 10 July 2009.

For more information about the NLDTF Tourist Guide Training project or the graduation ceremony, please contact Jen Caldwell , FTTSA Projects Assistant.

FTTSA Calls for Student Research, 2009-2011
FTTSA has identified a number of student research projects that will support the achievement of FTTSA's strategic goals. Some of the projects identified by FTTSA will be completed using desktop research methods, while others entail field research. Accordingly, the list of topics developed by FTTSA will appeal to international as well as South African students, including international students focusing on desktop research in their home countries. FTTSA believes that collaborating with student researchers and their institutions is an excellent way of building shared capacity in a way that will ultimately contribute to the growth of Fair Trade in Tourism in South Africa and beyond. For more information please visit FTTSA Resource Centre .

FTTSA bids farewell
FTTSA bids farewell to Ambassador Nozipho January Bardill who has been serving as one of the FTTSA Board of Directors since May 2005. Nozipho is the Director of Corporate Affairs and spokesperson of the MTN Group (Pty) Ltd. She was previously Deputy Director General, Human Capital Management and Head of Foreign Service Institute in the Department of Foreign Affairs. Prior to that she was South Africa 's Ambassador to Switzerland where she actively promoted tourism to South Africa .

FTTSA would like to thank her for her positive contributions throughout these years and wish her all the best with her future endeavors.

In addition, FTTSA says goodbye and thank you to FTTSA's Indaba intern, Mari Palander from Finland . For the past 3 years FTTSA has been creating an opportunity for students, like Mari, from NHTV Breda University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands to conduct their work placement at FTTSA, whereby they gain valuable work experience in the field of sustainable tourism.

Mari assisted the FTTSA marketing department with preparations around Indaba 2009 and various other marketing projects over the past five months. FTTSA thanks her for her work and wishes her well as she continues her studies in International Tourism Management at NHTV.

FTTSA welcomes Xolile Caga
FTTSA welcomes Xolile Caga to the FTTSA Board of Directors. Xolile is currently a Group Transformation Manager for the Edcon group. She holds an honours degree in Sociology from University of Fort Hare, a Bachelor of Arts from University of Transkei and has lectured Sociology at the University of Transkei . Xolile also has a certificate on Small Enterprise Development from Erasmus University , Rotterdam in the Netherlands . Prior to joining Edcon, her work experienced included Director of the Economic Growth and Equity Unit (EGE) at the National Business Initiative (NBI) and Programme Director for the Joint Initiative for Priority Skills Acquisition (JIPSA) at NBI. Then, she was involved with implementation of national small enterprise development research programmes and formulating policy research at the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA).

Xolile also served as panel member for FTTSA. For a full profile of Xolile and for more information about the FTTSA Board of Directors please visit FTTSA Board.

National Events

SMME Energy Efficiency Workshop, FEDHASA Inland Office, Ferndale , Randburg, 14 July 2009
The primary objectives for this workshop are to promote the Imvelo Responsible Tourism Awards for 2009 and to assist the SMMEs in the implementation of environmental best practice programmes. For more information about this workshop please contact Lynda Bacon at Lynda@kiara.co.za or +27 (0) 11 467 5009.

Annual South African Wine and Tourism Industry Conference, Vineyard Hotel, Cape Town , 21-22 July 2009
The key focus for this conference will be information sharing, particularly regarding the lessons learned by the German wine industry during the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Retired Director of the German Wine Institute, Armin Göring, was approached for his contribution to the success of the wine industry at the time of the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Strategies for success and key lessons learned from the experience will be shared. He will focus on his experience in dealing with FIFA, the benefits to the German wine industry, wine tourism opportunities and challenges, as well the long term benefits to the industry in general.

Robin Shaw, Director Tourism & Business Services: Winemakers' Federation of Australia will provide an overview of Australia 's wine tourism strategy and share her experiences from this perspective. For more information contact Zelda Coetzee-Ingram at +27 (0) 21 762 1442 or (+27) 0 84 657 5476 or email, zelda@imfunzelelo.co.za

SAACI Conference 2009, Tshwane, 26-28 July 2009
The event is the first annual conference of a tourism industry association to be held in the capital city and has received huge financial and other support from among others, South African Tourism (SAT), the Gauteng Tourism Authority (GTA), Tshwane Tourism and the Services SETA.

This year's conference will show delegates how to perfect the juggling act of their everyday lives, especially in regards to the changed political environment and the current economic recession. Speakers include tourism guru Prof Ernie Heath, the Chief Executive Officer of Uwin Iwin, David Sand, the Managing Director of the Cape Town International Convention Centre, Dirk Elzinga and political commentator Justice Malala. For more information please visit SAACI.

Global South 2009, Stellenbosch, 16-19 August 2009
The Global South 2009 Conference and Exhibition is a platform to help achieve the Millennium Development Goals by promoting inclusive economic development and ethical trade at a grassroots level. To this end, in August 2009 they will bring together a community of small producers and enterprises in agriculture, tourism and arts and crafts; organic farmers, traders, community-supported agriculture and environmental organisations; ethical traders and retailers; stakeholder organisations; and funders, advocates and NGOs. The opportunities that the conference creates for education, interaction, networking and community building are also important. The 2009 theme is “ Beating the drum for inclusive economic development”. The event is comprised of a conference programme of speakers, panels, an exhibition, networking opportunities, business linkages, technical and educational demonstrations. For more information on Global South please visit Global South 2009 Conference.

National Tourism Careers Expo 2009, Durban Exhibition Centre, 17-19 September 2009
The National Tourism Expo is a platform for learners, students and unemployed youth to learn how to pursue a career in tourism. This Expo is presented by the Department of Water and Environmental Affairs which was previously known as the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT), the KwaZulu Natal Department of Arts, Culture and Tourism and the Tourism, Hospitality, Sport Education and Training Authority. For more information please contact Zelma on +27(0) 11 549 8300 or email ntce@tepg.co.za .

Destinations Expo 2009 , Cape Town International Convention Centre, 22-25 October 2009
Destinations Expo is the perfect platform to market your destination, accommodation, recreation, holiday and travel products to the local traveler. Destinations Expo welcomes exhibitors from all nine provinces in South Africa as well as from neighbouring countries, world destinations and surrounding Indian Ocean islands.

Destinations 2009 is a valuable marketing vehicle for businesses. The show offers businesses the opportunity to meet travelers and holiday makers face-to-face, drive sales, build brand awareness and talk to the market. The show is marketed to consumers, business travelers and the industry in general.

Space is limited, so you are encouraged to book your space soonest. Make use of the 15% early bird discount if you book & pay by 30 June 2009. For more information contact Chris / Elmarie at +27 (0) 21 855 4750 or visit Destination Expo.

Hospitality Investment Conference Africa (HICA), Johannesburg , 04-06 November 2009
HICA provides an ideal platform for members of the hospitality industry to discuss current global trends and showcase what the African continent has on offer for multinationals. The focus of this year's conference will be on how responsible tourism can help create better areas for people to live in and visit. With its close ties to sustainable and green tourism, responsible tourism focuses on generating greater economic benefits for local people and enhancing host communities while minimising the negative economic, environmental and social impacts of tourism. Click here for more information about the HICA conference.

International Events

“Tourism for Development: Environmental Sustainability, Poverty Reduction and Empowering Communities” Conference, Gaborone , Botswana , 01-03 July 2009  
The Association for Tourism and Leisure Education (ATLAS) Africa, University of Botswana and 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. The aim of the conference is to discuss the relationship between tourism and development in the African context. The conference will focus especially on the roles and potential of tourism for development, sustainability in tourism and relations between tourism, environment and communities. For more information, click  here or to register email  ATLAS.

Announcements

Drivers of Change Awards
The Southern Africa Trust invites entries for the 2009 Drivers of Change Awards. The prestigious non-monetary awards recognise outstanding new ways of working to overcome poverty in southern Africa . FTTSA was a finalist in the category Drivers of Change in 2008: Civil Society Award. The Award has four categories of civil society, business, government and individuals. The judges will look for, among other things, outstanding examples of different sectors working together, particularly government, business, and civil society. In the business category, the awards encourage working with others to do responsible business.

This year's winners will be honoured along with the Mail & Guardian Investing in the Future Awards on 29 October 2009 in Johannesburg , South Africa .

Nominations for the 2009 Drivers of Change Award close on 10 July 2009 and are accepted in English, French and Portuguese. For nomination forms and guidelines please contact Sudley Adams at +27(0) 11 250 7300/7425 or 082 900 0776. To view other FTTSA accolades please visit FTTSA Accolades .

2010 Sustainability Award - Impumelelo Innovations Award Trust
The Impumelelo Innovations Award Trust has launched the 2010 Sustainable Awards to coincide with its 10 th anniversary celebrations . Having awarded 268 exceptional public service projects since 1999, Impumelelo views the World Cup as an ideal platform to generate new thinking around sustainable development and poverty reduction.

The 2010 Sustainability Awards allows the public to think creatively and innovatively about how we can become “greener” in all aspects of our lives. The Impumelelo Innovations Award Trust takes this opportunity to appeal for your participation in the 2010 Award cycle. They accept projects from government, civil society, the private sector and projects that have formed partnerships with government. Multiple applications for different projects from the same organisation are happily accepted and additional forms are available on request.  Do not hesitate to distribute their forms to projects that are eligible for our award. Please note that the application deadline is 31 July 2009.

For further information please contact the Evaluations Manager, Chris Mingo a t chris@impumelelo.org.za or call +27 (0) 21 424 6360.

TO DO! – International Contest Socially Responsible Tourism calling for entries
The TO DO! Awards are hosted for the fifteenth time with the aim of searching for projects and measures which prove that a sustainable and future-orientated course of action in tourism is possible. FTTSA received a Special Award 2005 TO DO! that was handed out at the Berlin ITB in 2006. The latest TO DO! award winners from Brazil , Peru and Switzerland have once again shown how that is done. The deadline for entries is 31 August 2009 . The winners will be honored at the International Tourism Exchange 2010 in Berlin .

For further information please contact, Studienkreis für Tourismus und Entwicklung e.V. on this number: +49-(0)8177-1783 or fax: +49-(0)8177-1349 or email: info@studienkreis.org .

Entries Now Open! 2009 Imvelo Awards for Responsible Tourism
The Imvelo Responsible Tourism Awards were initiated to coincide with the World Summit on Sustainable Development which was held in South Africa in 2002. The awards recognise tourism and hospitality businesses that make a real, measurable and sustained contribution to Responsible Tourism. The Imvelo Awards have had a huge impact on tourism in South Africa , creating significant awareness of environmental management issues in the industry. The award categories are: Best Social Involvement Programme, Best Practice – Economic Impact, Best Overall Environmental Management System, Best Single Resource Management Programme and Chairman's Award. To make your nomination please visit Imvelo Awards.

Did you know?
According to Statistics South Africa in February 2009, an overwhelming majority (96,6%) of tourists came to South Africa for holiday. This statistic is compared to those who came to study (1,5%) and those who came on business (1,9%). A detailed analysis reveals that 89,0% of tourists from all overseas regions came to South Africa for holidays. Tourists from Australasia (97,8%), Europe (97,4%), Central and South America (97,8%), North America (96,5%), Asia (89,6%) and the Middle East (92,8%) were in South Africa for holidays. Tourists from Middle East and Asia were, however, more diverse in their purpose. Middle East and Asia had 5,9% and 8,0% respectively of their tourists in South Africa for business. For more information click here.