Warm greetings during this cold winter, and welcome to the May edition of the FTTSA newsflash. We bring you exciting news about our latest accomplishments!

FTTSA certifies White Shark Projects
White Shark Projects is now certified by FTTSA, bringing the total number of FTTSA-certified businesses to 49. White Shark Projects, winner of the 2008 Imvelo Responsible Tourism Award in the Waste Management category, is owned and managed by three South African women. Based in Kleinbaai in the Western Cape , this world-leading tourism product focuses on the conservation of great white sharks through responsible tourism and research.

White Shark Projects is strongly committed to community development and upliftment. Staff members are all recruited from the local area, while local scholars benefit from ongoing tourism and environmental awareness programmes that promote a culture of responsibility for marine biodiversity and the environment. For more information on White Shark Projects please visit White Shark Projects . For more information on the FTTSA-certified products please visit FTTSA .

FTTSA scores a half century before Indaba with Buffalo Ridge Safari Lodge
FTTSA presents Buffalo Ridge Safari Lodge as lucky number 50 in FTTSA's portfolio. Buffalo Ridge Safari Lodge is a five-star lodge situated in the west of the Big 5, malaria free, Madikwe Game Reserve in the North West Province . The lodge is owned by the rural Balete community, who hold lease rights in Madikwe through an agreement with the North West Parks and Tourism Board (NWPTB). Buffalo Ridge is operated by the Madikwe Collection, which provides expertise and skills transfer that will assist the community in making their business successful.

The lodge is staffed by people from the village. A rigorous training programme has been designed to ensure that they develop the skills to manage their own lodge within a 15-year time frame. In the interim, lease fees and fair payments based on business volumes are transferred by the operating company to the community for future investment in the village and its people. For more information on Buffalo Ridge Safari Lodge please visit, Buffalo Ridge Safari Lodge and for more information on the FTTSA-certified products please visit FTTSA .

Sustainable Tourism Network Southern Africa's 2 nd annual meeting, 07 May 2009, Durban
The Sustainable Tourism Network Southern Africa held its second annual meeting on the 7 th of May in Durban , South Africa .  The meeting was attended by 34 delegates from 11 different countries, including observers from Kenya and Rwanda .  The meeting featured a summary of the Network's activities over the last year, case studies on various sustainable tourism initiatives in southern Africa ( Namibia , Botswana and Kenya/Tanzania), and an action plan for the Network for the coming year.

Currently, the Network operates via the Network's website and quarterly newsletters, both of which are available in English, French and Portuguese.  To facilitate communication between sustainable tourism stakeholders in southern Africa and abroad, the website features a links page, where stakeholders can post their website link and connect with other sustainable tourism stakeholders, and a forum where stakeholders can discuss/debate topics relevant to sustainable tourism development. 

If you are interested in having your sustainable tourism developments featured in the next Newsletter, desire more information and/or want to join the Network, contact the interim Network Coordinator, Sarah Van Mill, at regional@fairtourismsa.org.za , and/or logon to the website .

FTTSA attends the 8 th Successful INDABA 2009 Travel Trade Show
FTTSA had the great opportunity to exhibit at this year's INDABA Travel Trade Show to raise awareness about FTTSA, FTTSA-certified products and responsible tourism in South Africa . Indaba 2009 was successful in regards to requests for information about our clients, the FTTSA certification programme and the Sustainable Tourism Network Southern Africa. The trade show also provided an opportunity to strengthen relationships with FTTSA-certified tourism businesses and other stakeholders. FTTSA hosted two functions which were very well attended and a big success: the cocktail function and the annual stand party where Thandi Fair Trade wines were served. A big thank you to Thandi Wines for sponsoring the excellent wines!

FTTSA presentation at the SMME Network Workshop
On 9 May 2009, FTTSA Junior Marketing Officer, Khaya Thwala gave a presentation titled “ Responsible Tourism Makes Business Sense” at the SMME Network workshop held at the International Convention Center (ICC) in Durban. The presentation highlighted FTTSA's role in promoting responsible tourism. This workshop was organised by Kagiso Exhibition with the primary aim of providing a networking opportunity for SMMEs and relevant associations, while also providing an opportunity for attendees to gain more insights about tourism industry associations and the benefits of joining these associations. The workshop was attended by owners of emerging businesses, government officials and media. This was a good opportunity for FTTSA to raise awareness about FTTSA and the benefits of being affiliated with FTTSA.

Government re-organises the Environmental and Tourism portfolio to improve service delivery
Following the announcement from President Jacob Zuma on 10 May 2009 that the structure of government will be re-organised to make the state structure more efficient and more service-delivery oriented, the process of the transfer of responsibilities between the various affected departments and the re-constitution of the relevant departments has begun. As a result of this re-organisation, the environmental affairs portfolio of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) is to be placed under a newly created Department of Water and Environmental Affairs under Minister Buyelwa Sonjica and Deputy Minister Rejoice Mabhudafhasi. It was also announced that marine and coastal management functions will be moved to the new Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries under Minister Tina Jumat Peterson and Deputy Minister Pieter Mulder. The announcement by the President also creates a separate Department of Tourism under Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk and Deputy Minister Thokozile Xasa. All the above line functions, responsibilities and services will continue to be rendered from the existing offices until further notice. For more information please visit, DEAT .

FTTSA Attends “Nature Tourism as a Force for the Alleviation of Poverty” Workshop
The India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) exchange programme is a knowledge exchange between South Africa , Namibia , Mozambique and India on “Nature Tourism as a force for the alleviation of poverty”. The African Safari Lodge Foundation (ASLF) commissioned a number of southern African case studies which were presented at a workshop in Johannesburg in May 2008. Included in the programmed was a field trip to the Madikwe Community-owned lodges, Buffalo Ridge and Thakadu.

FTTSA attended the follow up programme from 12 to 21 May in India . ASLF's partner organisation in India , Equations, similarly commissioned case studies in India which were presented at the workshop in Delhi along with a field trip to one of the case studies, Himalayan Homestays in the Ladakh region. A delegation of approximately 15 representatives from Southern Africa attended the workshop, including representative from Namibia , Mozambique and South Africa . For more information about ASLF and the May 2008 workshop and case studies, please visit: ASLF .

Please visit IBSA for more information about the IBSA trilateral development initiative or for information on Equations, please visit Equations .

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Call for nominations: "Multiplying Faces, Amplifying Voices"
Multiplying Faces, Amplifying Voices  is a Graça Machel initiative aimed at providing a platform for women's empowerment at a continental level. It will also provide women in leadership positions with increased exposure and opportunities to share experiences and engage in dialogue across the continent and internationally. The initiative seeks to establish high-level, specialised networks among reform-minded leaders across the continent to enable the sharing of knowledge and resources; to promote greater awareness of the obstacles to women's participation and leadership; and to increase public awareness of women's leadership.

This is a call to all the partners and networks on the continent to help identify successful African women in the fields of Business, Agriculture; Science and Technology. Nominees must be able to demonstrate that in addition to their success as an entrepreneur, academic or policy expert in the above fields, they have played a role as a mentor or have been the product of a mentoring relationship themselves. They should have a proven track record of inspiring, motivating and empowering those around them. For more information please contact Juliet Mureriwa at multiplyingfaces@osisa.org or on +27 (0) 11 403 3414.

The Inyathelo Philanthropy Awards
Inyathelo - the South African Institute for Advancement dedicated to the promotion of philanthropy in South Africa is pleased to announce its call for nominations for the Inyathelo Philanthropy Awards 2009.

These awards recognise extraordinary individuals who have shown outstanding leadership in the area of personal philanthropy in South Africa and who, through their giving, have made a remarkable difference in bringing about sustainable social change. The Inyathelo spotlight is not only on those who give large sums of money, but also on those who achieve a positive long-term impact on social development regardless of the amount involved. The closing date is Tuesday, 30 June 2009. For more information visit, Inyathelo .

Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards launch
The Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards are now open for nominations. These awards are in their sixth year and are the most prestigious of their kind in the world, with 13 categories receiving over 1,900 nominations in 2008. The Responsible Tourism Awards were founded in 2004 by responsibletravel.com , who run the Awards in partnership with The Daily Telegraph, Geographical Magazine - the magazine of The Royal Geographical Society, BBC World News, and World Travel Market (WTM).

The central tenet of the Awards is that all types of tourism – from niche to mainstream – can and should be operated in a way that respects and benefits destinations and local people. The Awards recognise individuals, companies and organisations in the travel industry that are making a significant commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and are providing a positive contribution to biodiversity conservation. For nominations please visit, Responsible Tourism Awards . The closing date for nominations is Monday 15 June 2009.

Nominate A Winner!
PhytoTrade Africa, the Southern African Natural Products Trade Association is calling for nominations for the fourth Annual Natural Products Award for ethical and environmentally sustainable products. PhytoTrade Africa is Africa 's only trade association dedicated to the development of a Fair Trade and environmentally sustainable natural products industry. Natural Products awards recognise particular achievements in the field of ethically traded, environmentally sustainable, natural products in Southern Africa . Natural products are those derived from plants from Southern Africa . The awards are based on self or third-party nominations and are assessed by the judging panel against a set of specific criteria . FTTSA Executive Director, Jennifer Seif has been serving as a judge for the third year in a row.

The nominations should be received no later than Monday, 8 June 2009. For more information on the awards please visit Phytotrade Africa .

Nominations for Table Mountain !
South Africa is set to receive a massive tourism boost should Table Mountain be named one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature. Jordan reported an increase in over 100% in visitors to the ancient ruins of Petra after it was declared a New Seventh Wonder in 2007 and visits to Machu Picchu soared by 70% after it won. To reach the next round, Table Mountain needs to be ranked in the top 11 of its group; mountains and volcanoes. Table Mountain is currently ranked 25 out of 36 nominees.

South Africans can vote for Table Mountain until 07 July 2009 in the global race to name the New Seven Wonders of Nature. Winners will be determined by votes from the public. South Africans and fans from outside the country's borders can show their support by visiting Table Mountain . Other African natural sites to come through the first round include the Kalahari Desert, the Great Rift Valley, the Avenue of Baobabs, Lake Tanganyika, the Kafue National Park and Victoria Falls .

Vote for Fair Trade future!
You can vote for a Fair Trade future in as little as 10 seconds. An Agent of Change is going to the G8 summit, Maddalena , Italy in July. The agent, known as G9, will deliver a Fair Trade solution to poverty, climate change and economic crisis. Your vote will inform who gets the job. To vote, click this link , view the candidates and hit the desired vote button. The election takes the form of a rolling daily poll so it pays to keep an eye on your candidate's progress. Voting closes 09 June 2009 (midnight Samoa ). Please encourage Fair Trade friends to vote! As the world steams deeper into crisis it is vital that we all play a part. Every single day and every single vote makes a difference.

National Events

Stiletto Walk, Johannesburg , 6 June 2009
Men and women of Gauteng dust off those stilettos, buy new ones, whatever you do, wear them to the walk against child pornography. Make a statement against child pornography. The Film and Publication Board (FPB) in commemoration of Child Protection Week (26 May - 01 June 2009) will be hosting a ''Stiletto Walk'' with an effort to raise awareness of the fight against child pornography.

Details related to the event will be communicated later. To participate in this event please contact FPB on 0800 148 148 or send an email to information@fpb.gov.za .

Buy – Environmental trade show and conference , Vodaworld, Midrand, 09-10 June 2009
The conference will provide a vital forum for industry leaders to come together to explore how companies, governments and organisations can face up to the economic downturn and grow in and benefit from the new green economy. If you have any questions, please contact Megan Van Horsten on +27 (0)21 674 5964 or book on-line at buy-environmental .

Global South 2009, Stellenbosch, 16-19 August 2009
The Global South 2009 Conference and Exhibition is a platform to 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.

Hospitality Investment Conference Africa (HICA), Johannesburg , 04-06 November 2009
HICA provides an ideal platform for members of the industry to get together and reflect on the current global trends and showcase what the African continent has on offer for multinationals. The focus will be on responsible tourism as a means of creating better areas both for people to live in and visit. With its close ties to sustainable and green tourism, responsible tourism is about generating greater economic benefits for local people and enhancing host communities while minimising the negative economic, environmental and social impacts of tourism. For more information about the HICA conference visit, HICA .

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 01-03 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 the relations between tourism, environment and communities. For more information, click  here or to register email  ATLAS.

Did you know?
The World Travel and Tourism Council predicts (WTTC) that after 2009, travel and tourism will steadily grow through to 2018 with an average growth rate of 4.4% a year with a projected 297 million jobs and 10.5% global GDP contribution by 2018. For more information click, here .