Promoting fairtrade tourism in South Africa

Related pages: South Africa homepage | MDG 8: Aid, trade, growth and global partnership | Why should we care about Fair Trade? (March, 2006)

Image courtesy of Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa

DFID is helping Fair Trade Tourism South Africa to promote the concept and principles of fair trade in the South African tourism industry so that communities and workers benefit and in turn the industry is more sustainable.

Our grant of £300,000 through the Business Linkages Challenge Fund helped to implement a trademark programme which recognises fair and responsible tourism practice and gives confidence to buyers.

The trademark is awarded to tourism businesses in South Africa that adhere to criteria such as fair wages and working conditions, fairness in operations, purchasing and distribution of benefits, ethical business practice and respect for human rights, culture and environment.

See South Africa Fair Trade tourism website

How did it work?

Image courtesy of Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa

Meet Toni Shina from the Cape Town-based The Backpack, one of the most recent businesses to be certified as a Fair Trade member. She said:

“Fair Trade Tourism South Africa recognises our commitment to uplifting our staff and community, and our utilisation of local service providers.

"As a business we also have a strong and positive attitude to working with and supporting staff who are affected by HIV and Aids and we abide strongly with required labour and legal standards.”

Successful companies - from upmarket game lodges to adventure specialists - are now members of the initiative which promotes the fair trade businesses to tour operators and agents. The DFID grant was used to develop the assessment process, training of independent assessors to monitor compliance with the rules and development of the fair trade tourism website .

In a recent survey of the local tourism industry, half recognised the Fair Trade Tourism South Africa brand, demonstrating the impact that this initiative has already achieved.

While the certification is currently only available for South African tourism businesses, the standards and assessment tools developed are clearly relevant to the global tourism industry, which in 2005 contributed around 10.6 per cent to global Gross Domestic Product (according to the World Travel and Tourism Council).

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Key facts

• The aim of this project was to establish fair trade in the South African tourist industry, and to build viable, sustainable tourism businesses. More on the thinking behind establishing fair trade in South African tourism (Business Linkages Challenge Fund website)
• Growth, jobs and equity are a core element of DFID's new regional plan for Southern Africa - and DFID is particularly committed to doing more on trade. The total budget for this regional plan in 2006 is £20m.

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