RTTZ Attends the STNSA Annual Conference.

Responsible Tourism Tanzania attends the Sustainable Tourism Network Southern Africa annual conference held in Durban on the 10th May 2012. The main aim of the conference was to discuss opportunities for regional certification cooperation based on lessons learned from regional and / or international experience. Improve understanding of existing and untapped markets for sustainable/responsible travel in the UK and learn about current sustainable tourism initiatives that create opportunities for sustainable tourism certification in Africa.
The conference attracted sustainable tourism partners and certification organizations from South Africa, Botswana, Madagascar, Nambia, Kenya and Tanzania. RTTZ presented an overview of the process that we have undergone so far to register the organization and develop the standards and criteria. RTTZ also shared their ideas based on the challenges we face as a sustainable certification scheme that is in the starting phase in a country with a relatively small tourism industry.
Other presentations included “accessing niche markets through Fair Trade holidays” presented by Jennifer Seif, Executive Director, Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa. Within the theme: New initiatives from southern Africa “South Africa’s Minimum Standard for Responsible Tourism” presented by Bekithemba Langalibalele, Director: Responsible Tourism, National Department of Tourism; “Retosa – Integrated Certification System” presented by Simba Mandinyenya, Research Planning & Development Director, Retosa. Under the theme: Developing an understanding of current international initiatives was a presentataion by Deidre Shurland,
“Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism” and by Manuel Junck from GIZ and his colluges who presented the new certification program for Africa “Eco Mark Africa”. A final presentation on Climate Change Preparedness and Tourism with a presentation titled “Summary case studies from South Africa” presented by Candice Allan.
The conference also prepared the participants for an annual meeting of the Sustainable Tourism Network Southern Africa (STNSA). The STNSA initiative aims to establish an integrated, regional approach to sustainable tourism development in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) as well as to provide a channel for all SADC countries to exchange experiences and best practices regarding sustainable tourism policy and practice throughout the region.