Source: allafrica.com
Cape Town — Counting on responsible travellers who increasingly seek environmentally friendly alternatives for their holidays, South Africa's tourism sector wants to conserve its biggest asset - nature - while fighting climate change at the same time.
Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa (FTTSA) has developed a green rating system for the tourism industry that certifies tourist accommodation, activities and attractions in South Africa against standard environmental criteria. It also considers fair trade labour, socio-economic and management practices as part of the assessment.
Tourists can also book entire tour packages that have a minimised carbon travel footprint - a first such offering in the world. "We hope the model will be adopted internationally," says FTTSA certification manager Lisa Scriven, who helped to develop the concept, which was launched in November.
The green rating system promotes responsible tourism, including environmental management, low energy and water use, waste avoidance, recycling and green procurement, building design and construction, the minimal use of chemicals as well as a focus on biodiversity and gardens.
To be certified as environmentally friendly, a tourism business will undergo an assessment by a FTTSA team as well as by an independent review panel made up of South Africa's top tourism experts.
Scriven says that there are 14 sections of standards and criteria, each with several sub- sections, according to what type of business is assessed. The FTTSA team will measure on-site investments in the environment such as solar geysers and off- site projects such as involvement in local schools. They make an in-kind as well as a financial assessment and compare it to the company's turnover; to see what percentage they invest in the environment.
FTTSA also cooperates with the South African Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) and the Tourism Grading Council. Every two years, the business' credentials will be re-assessed to make sure it still fulfils all requirements.
"It's about tourism that respects the environment and positively affects the economic and social development of local communities," explains Scriven. Sustainable tourism has become a trend, she says: "I don't think many people see sustainability as an option anymore. It has become an expectation."