Look, let’s face it – as much as we don’t want it to, tourism often causes a lot of trouble wherever it goes.
And the trouble for tourism is that the tourist today isn’t happy with that any more – and nor are their host communities, which means that we need to do a lot more studying, and have a lot more discussions about how tourism can be made to become sustainable – and about how it can become responsible.
Which is precisely why I’ll be talking about ‘Responsible Tourism and Collaboration in the Online World’ at the 2nd Annual Sustainable Tourism Development Seminar (at Maropeng, in the Cradle of Humankind, on 26 and 27 July).
As friend and colleague Ron Mader (Planeta.com, the Planeta Wiki) likes to say: “We suck at collaboration.”
Ron began developing Planeta.com in 1994 as a reporter’s notebook, and in so doing pioneered online reporting on ecotourism and conscious travel around the globe.
One of the great insights I’ve received from working with Ron is that responsible tourism and the internet – and especially the social media platforms (twitter, flickr, Facebook, and such) – go together like syrup and pancakes.
On their own, they’re quite nice, each of them – but together they’re powerful.
And this is why the Sustainable Tourism Development Seminar is set to become one of the more important discussions on tourism.
As Leo Hickman – author of ‘The Final Call: In Search of the True Cost of Our Holidays’ (Transworld) – said in an interview with Travel Mole in July 2007:
“The scent of denial is thick in the air. I can’t think of any other global industry – you work for the world’s largest service industry, no less – which seemingly plays such a dangerous game with its key assets – the mountains, the coral reefs, the tropical islands, the rainforests, etc. Once they’re gone, or at least tarnished beyond repair, then so is your industry.
“Just from a position of self-interest, you would assume everyone in the industry would be doubling over backwards to protect and nurture these assets, if only to secure long-term business. Where exactly are you going to be sending today’s children on holiday once they reach adulthood?”
Have YOU got YOUR head in the sand? Or will you be joining us at Maropeng?
Download a brochure on the 2nd Annual Sustainable Tourism Development Seminar from This Tourism Week – and book now: call +27 11 888 9810 or mail customerservices@corptrain.co.za.
For more information about speakers, a full programme of events, prices, etc, visit This Tourism Week.
Book now: call +27 11 888 9810 or mail customerservices@corptrain.co.za
2nd Annual Sustainable Tourism Development Seminar: brilliant corporate social responsibility offer
If your company books and pays for three delegates or more, you can nominate an emerging entrepreneur or other individual of your choice to attend the event.
Pay it forward, folks. That’s what collaboration’s all about.
Book now: call +27 11 888 9810 or mail customerservices@corptrain.co.za.
Nice coincidence: the 2nd Annual Sustainable Tourism Development Seminar (26 and 27 July) ends on the day on which the Skydive4Rhinos Rustenburg event (27 – 29 July) begins. I’ll be there! How many of my fellow delegates and speakers will be jumping?
Skydive for Rhinos: how are we progressing?
254: That’s the official rhino poaching tally this week. An increase of 7 in 7 days.
But the good news is that many more people have signed up to tandem skydive for the cause: Skydive4Rhinos. And bearing in mind that everyone who jumps promises to raise R 5,000, our financial target is getting closer.
In the week since last we spoke:
Up to 16 members of the reserve staff of Thanda Game Reserve (a member of the Project Rhino KZN group) have agreed to skydive inKwaZulu-Natal
Clive Raymond Heaney, Executive Producer of MNet’s popular soapie ‘The Wild’ – and seven members of the cast – will be jumping in Rustenburg
Singer, actor and comedian Keeno Lee has accepted a challenge from Keenan Arrison (of The Wild) to jump inCape Town
BMW Cedar Isle, Bridgestone Tyres and the Gauteng BMW Car Club used their Kyalami Race Day last Saturday to raise funds for the campaign – R 23,000 in one morning. Plus, Michael Broom (Editor, BMW Car Club magazine) and representatives from Bridgestone Tyres and BMW Cedar Isle have signed up to jump in Rustenburg
The Crescent Shopping Centre (Umhlanga Rocks) raised R45,000 through their Rhino Meets Reality campaign. School children from 12Durbanschools collected over 900,000 5c pieces as part of the campaign
66 skydivers have already raised more than R 174 000 through their Given Gain Activist accounts
Four Super Skydivers have already raised more than R 10,000 each: Tanya Robinson (Rustenburg)- R 16,800; Karen Richards(Rustenburg) R15,000 Kirsten Arnold Port Elizabeth) R11,000 Tammy Kruger(Rustenburg) R10,000
And – (did YOU buy one at Indaba? I did) – the Jenman African Safaris office staff took off their clothes and painted their bodies to look like wild animals for their sexy 2013 calendar, which is being sold in aid of the Fund.
If you DIDN’T buy one at Indaba, R 120 secures your order: email savetherhino@jenmansafaris.com
And finally: my challenge to Western Cape Tourism MEC Alan Winde hasn’t gone unnoticed: at least three of his colleagues have said they’ll be jumping, too.
For them though, raising the R 5,000 should be a doddle. For me, not so much. So please make your pledge: martin@thistourismweek.co.za: even if you can only afford a single rhino (look at the notes in your wallet), it’ll be considered a significant contribution.
And if you want to Skydive4Rhinos at any of the four official jump zones (Rustenburg, Port Elizabeth, Durban, Robertson) any time between now and International Rhino Day (22 September), please contact Micah van Schalkwyk: micah@projectafrica.com – or download the campaign’s facts sheet from This Tourism Week.
More information:
www.facebook.com/skydiveforrhinos
www.twitter.com/@RhinoSkydiver
www.givengain.com/cause/3213/projects/10849/
Now go away on holiday – it’s in the economy’s best interests.
… And in the meantime… have a GREAT tourism week!
Martin Hatchuel – BarefootWriter
Want To Advertise to more than 10,000 names in the Tourism Industry? Want to tap into the power of internet marketing? Want to speak to my audience? Mail me – martin@thistourismweek.co.za – and let’s see how This Tourism Week can work for you.
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About This Tourism Week
This Tourism Week – a free service brought to you by BarefootClients.co.za – is a personal e-letter and informed commentary on issues affecting South Africa’s tourism industry. Please note that the articles in This Tourism Week may only be reproduced with permission (want it? Mail me – martin@thistourismweek.co.za).
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Martin Hatchuel
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