September announces a new season, and in South Africa, we take the opportunity to celebrate our heritage, our love for braai, and the important economic sector of Tourism. Tourism Month focuses on the promotion of domestic travel. It showcases the country’s diverse tourism offerings and highlights the sector’s significant contribution to the South African economy. What are the latest trends in tourism? Is it still all about sustainability?
Sustainability has become one of those almost overused terms, but because it is so relevant and so descriptive, we can’t really replace it with anything else. Tourism that can be sustained means that the offering is managed (whether in creativity with experiences, caring for the environment, or maintaining infrastructure) and that the industry also stays economically viable, and continues to create opportunities and employment. We all agree that tourism is important, but not at any cost. That was clear from the response to my overtourism blog a week or two ago. Although overtourism might ensure good tourism figures, revenue, and job creation in the short term, it threatens sustainability. With the economy and employment such burning issues in South Africa, how much of our focus is on the long term? Perhaps there is another concept that we have to keep in mind when it comes to tourism: Responsibility.
Responsible Tourism from an industry side is a management strategy; responsibility when it comes to the protection and conservation of the natural environment, respect and conservation of local cultures, and support for the economy. With the focus on the environment, society, and economy, how does this differ from sustainable tourism? Perhaps the difference lies in the one being a concept and the other implying action. Sustainability is a concept and a strategy that guides our way of thinking and also our actions. Taking responsibility, however, makes it practical, it means involvement and understanding the impact of your actions. Everyone involved with tourism, who understands its importance and how crucial it is for the industry to be sustainable, should therefore take responsibility. That includes the Government, tourism establishments and operators, tour guides, industry associations, and also local communities and services.
Responsible Tourism is also the responsibility of the tourist. “Responsible tourism is an approach to tourism that recognizes the interconnectedness of all aspects of travel, including the environment, economy, and society. It involves making ethical and sustainable choices as a traveler, such as supporting local businesses, minimizing waste and pollution, conserving natural resources, and respecting local cultures and traditions.” Read more.
The City of Cape Town’s “Choose Cape Town” marketing campaign announced earlier this week, was met with excitement as it proposes more visitors and job creation to stimulate economic growth. A focus on the diversity of attractions might also, although they did not explain it as such, help to prevent overtourism in popular spots. The focus is on “expanding flights, increasing cruises, attracting conferences, diversifying tourism and targeted marketing.” Read more.
Although Cape Town’s Tourism Month focus includes a Responsible Tourism Charter, responsible tourism is not new within the SA Tourism context. South Africa was the first country to include Responsible Tourism in its national tourism policy. (Read more) The 1996 White Paper on the Development and Promotion of Tourism in South Africa addresses the issue: “Responsible tourism is not a luxury for South Africa, thus committing the tourism sector to pursuing a policy of Responsible Tourism.” Developments are guided by the key principles of Responsible Tourism that were defined in the Cape Town Declaration after the first international conference on Responsible Tourism held in Cape Town in 2002.
The key focus areas of Responsible Tourism were identified as:
- minimize negative economic, environmental, and social impacts.
- generate greater economic benefits for local people and enhance the well-being of the host.
- involve local people in decisions that affect their lives and life chances.
- make positive contributions to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage, and to the maintenance of the world’s diversity.
- provide more enjoyable experiences for tourists through more meaningful connections with local people, and a greater understanding of local cultural, social, and environmental issues.
- provide universal access to tourists with disabilities, the elderly, and families with young children; and
- is culturally sensitive, engenders respect between tourists and hosts, and builds local pride and confidence.The roles and responsibilities of a range of players were also included:
- tourism industry’s responsibility to the environment, through the promotion of balanced and sustainable tourism, and a focus on environmentally based tourism activities
- responsibility of government and business to involve the local communities that are in close proximity to tourism infrastructure and attractions, through the development of meaningful economic linkages.
- responsibility of tourists, businesses, and government to respect, invest, and develop local cultures, and protect them from over-commercialization and over-exploitation.
- the responsibility of local communities to become actively involved in the tourism industry, to practice sustainable development, and to ensure the safety and security of visitors.
- the responsibility of both employers and employees in the tourism industry, both to each other and the customer (responsible trade union and employment practices); and
- responsible government as well as responsibility on the part of tourists to observe the norms and practices of South Africa.
Being responsible is one of those attributes one easily just expects from everyone. Unfortunately, we are often only responsible for what affects us personally, and it is easy to forget the long-term or wider impact when responsibility comes in the way of making money in the short term or even, more altruistically, creating job opportunities and revenue for a community. For responsible action to have the desired outcome, everyone involved has to be on board and all actions have to be measured against the guidelines.
After the Covid-influenced rollercoaster that was the last five years in tourism, we are busy with a new five-year strategy for wine tourism. I have to applaud the efforts of SA Wine in involving the very diverse local wine tourism industry to identify challenges and opportunities and plan for the next five years in a way that will greatly benefit our industry and local communities but in a way that is sustainable and responsible.