The schools excursion programme, which was started 12th July, 2012 has been successfully completed for Volta, Northern and GT. Accra Regions.

For more on this story here

http://www.ghananewsagency.org/details/Economics/Government-s-domestic-tourism-project-yielding-results-Tourism-Officer/?ci=3&ai=46567

• A new, comprehensive, National Strategy for Responsible Tourism in South Africa is to be issued, which contains action plans to guide implementation and mechanisms to measure progress. The strategy promotes working more closely with the tourism sector to maximise the local economic benefits which tourism can bring to local communities and already has the support and endorsement of a growing cross-section of stakeholders.
• The new National Tourism Sector Strategy (NTSS 2011), launched in March 2011 - a blueprint for the tourism sector in South Africa - sets a new vision and growth targets, including making South Africa one of the top 20 destinations by 2020, committing the tourism sector to create a total of 225 000 jobs in 2020 and to increase tourism’s contribution to the economy from R189,4 billion (2009) to R499 billion by 2020. The new NTSS boldly recognises that these ambitious growth targets should be achieved in a responsible and sustainable manner; appreciative of the fact that South Africa’s natural environment and people are its greatest tourism resources.
• The new Tourism Draft Bill aims to provide for the development and promotion of sustainable tourism for the social, economic and environmental benefit of South African citizens and for the enjoyment of all its residents and foreign visitors.

In addition the Deputy Minister highlighted the importance tourism has in wider policy, and the impact therefore of Responsible Tourism across the board.

• Tourism is an integral component of South Africa’s New Growth Path (2010), which strives to significantly reduce unemployment and stimulate inclusive economic development.
• South Africa’s Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP2), has identified the tourism sector as an important contributor to the development of rural areas and culture industries amongst others.

As well as setting out current and developing Government policy the Deputy Minister also called for action from all areas of the industry:

“Against this very positive platform we will reach out to the markets and reinvigorate them with South Africa’s unique proposition as the only globally recognised Fair Trade tourist destination. A place where our people and resources are valued and protected and visitors are able to have a genuine connection with South Africa. We invite all the stakeholders to commit to mainstreaming responsible tourism, and make it an essential part of the way of doing business in the tourism sector. Let us work together to encourage the development of tourism products today, without compromising the needs of future generations”

For a full transcript of the Deputy Minister’s speech for Taking Responsibility for Tourism emailsusannah.glynn@kallaway.com

Dr Harold Goodwin, Director at the International Centre for Responsible Tourism and organizer of the London conference, said: 
‘Two years on from the Cape Town Declaration it was important to bring together in South Africa House the leading destinations implementing Responsible Tourism strategies. South Africa leads the way but others are following a similar path, including Kerala and The Gambia. The meeting of minds between these enlightened destinations and the UK outbound industry was palpable; all forms of tourism can be more responsible and the big UK operators know that their customers expect them to deliver on the sustainability agenda. It is their responsibility to get on and do it.’

Lungi Morrison, Destination Manager for South Africa Tourism UK, said:

‘South Africa strives to give visitors authentic experiences and heartfelt connections with the country. The fact that Responsible Tourism has informed the development of the offer to the visitor means they have experiences that areunique to them and it is also opening up new places and inspiring new experiences for the future. We foster the talent and assets we have, rather than import a homogenous approach and create distinction through locally sourced and locally inspired tourism experiences. It also translates into the highest standards of quality coupled with value to meet the requirements of today’s market.’

South Africa’s role in driving action in Responsible Tourism

South Africa is widely recognised as a global leader in Responsible Tourism.

• The first country in the world to include Responsible Tourism as government policy in the 1996 South African White Paper on Development and Promotion of Tourism in South Africa
• Currently the only globally recognised Fair Trade tourist destination. South Africa was the first country to offer Fair Trade package holidays.
• The country’s 2002 National Guidelines for Responsible Tourism were hailed by tourism stakeholders worldwide as a bold initiative and ground breaking; so much so that they inspired global leaders in the sustainable tourism discourse when crafting the 2002 Cape Town Declaration on Responsible Tourism.
• South Africa is also the first country in Africa and second in the world (the other being the UK) to develop aNational Minimum Standard for Responsible Tourism (NMSRT), which was launched by the Minister on 12 September 2011.

Responsible Tourism means a stronger visitor offer

Today sustainable tourism permeates all areas of South Africa’s country’s tourism offering, from its world renowned coastline to its famed gastronomy. For visitors to South Africa Responsible Tourism means authentic experiences, unique, unparalleled opportunities for the visitor, as well as accommodation which is sustainable as it is stylish and affordable holidays which won’t cost the Earth. Examples of Responsible Tourism in action include:

• Marine Dynamic Tours (www.sharkwatchsa.com), marine tours which not only show you South Africa’s ‘Marine Big 5’ (whales, sharks, dolphins, seals and penguins) but involve you directly in their conservation, with the tours guided by members of local communities whose invaluable contribution is recognised as an important part of a business’ tourism offering.
• Grootbos Nature Reserve (www.grootbos.com), where safaris are as sustainable as they are stylish, demonstrating that, by implementing good practice at the start, responsible tourism doesn’t have to mean compromising on comfort and enjoyment.
• Andulela cooking safaris, informal cooking sessions in local homes in the townships of Langa Gugulethu and Khayelitsha.

Issued by Kallaway on behalf of South African Tourism

For further information contact:

Kgomotso Ramothea at SA Tourism                           Susannah Glynn at Kallaway

Tel: +44 20 8971 9350                                               Tel: 020 7221 7883

Email: kgomotso@southafrica.net Email: Susannah.glynn@kallaway.com

Website www.southafrica.net

Register on our media extranet to browse the latest news releases (from SA Tourism as well as the tourism industry in general), access the news archive and get details of all upcoming tourism industry events (both locally and internationally).

http://mediaextranet.southafrica.net

About South Africa

Nearly half a million visitors from the UK are drawn to South Africa each year, lured by its rich history, vibrant contemporary culture, scenic beauty and wildlife. The country’s iconic attractions include Mvezo, the birthplace of Nelson Mandela, cosmopolitan Cape Town and the 5.2sq mile Kruger National Park. South Africa was the first country in the world to include Responsible Tourism as part of government policy and for almost 20 years has acted as a major driving force for change in the sector. The visitor to South Africa can expect an unparalleled authentic experience, accommodation which is sustainable as it is stylish and affordable getaways which don’t cost the Earth.

About South African Tourism

South African Tourism is the national tourism agency responsible for the marketing of South Africa as a preferred tourist destination. In the UK it is headed up by Destination Manager Lungi Morrison.

- END TO ALL -

The committee heard from invited guest, Caroline Danneels, founder of the nonprofit organization, “Safe Coastal Tourism,” on the importance of safety precautions at beaches and marinas across the globe. Based in the Flemish community of Belgium, the organization works to raise awareness of the crucial need for adequate safety measures and the provision of accurate information to tourists to prevent often fatal accidents at coastal sites. Committee members drew particular attention to the need for safety warnings, in the form of signs and flags, to alert visitors to dangerous conditions, and the absolute necessity of lifeguards and life buoys to aid in rescues, even during tourist “low-season,”

As the body responsible for promoting and monitoring the implementation of the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, the committee applauded the signature of the first private sector commitment to the Global Code of Ethics by 11 of Spain’s most prominent tourism companies at the 1st International Congress on Ethics and Tourism (September 15-16, 2011, Madrid, Spain). This commitment represents a public pledge on behalf of tourism enterprises to implement and promote the values enshrined in the Code of Ethics, both by integrating ethical practices into their business operations, and by reporting periodically to the committee on their actions in this regard.

The body further analyzed a number of pressing ethical issues, including the fight against human trafficking and child exploitation, the road to greater gender equality and accessibility in tourism, and developments for the protection of tourists/consumers and tourism enterprises. With reference to the latter, the committee reiterated its support for UNWTO’s preparation of an international legal instrument in this area.

Committee members further backed UNWTO’s firm stand against human trafficking, especially child trafficking, in the tourism sector, applauding the organization’s signature of a cooperation agreement with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in April 2012. In the sphere of accessible tourism, the committee reasserted its support of the collaboration between UNWTO, the Spanish ONCE Foundation, and ACS Foundation, as well as the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT), in the interest of improving tourism’s accessibility, particularly for persons with disabilities.

This is a live repository site for all the key COAST Project management resources including publications, reports, Powerpoint presentations and user templates. These resources are uploaded on a regular basis.

DOWNLOADABLE FILES

In a broad perspective, Best Available Practices (BAPs) and Best Available Technologies (BATs) are outstanding contributions to improve the living environment. They are defined by the United Nations and the International Community as successful initiatives.

Additional characterization for BAPs/BATs includes activities that:

• Have a demonstrable and tangible impact on improving people’s quality of life;
• Are the result of effective partnerships between the public, private and civic sectors of society;
• Are socially, culturally, economically and environmentally sustainable.

BAPs/BATs are promoted and used by the United Nations and the international community as a means of:

• Improving public policy based on what works;
• Raising awareness of decision-makers at all levels and of the public of potential solutions to common social, economic and environmental problems;
• Sharing and transferring knowledge, expertise and experience through networking and peer-to-peer learning.

Criteria for BAPs/BATs

To see the COAST Project Paper on BAPs/BATs see here

Growth in sustainable tourism not only reflects environmental realities, but also a desire from tourists themselves to embrace green tourism. “There is a trend among tourists of turning towards green forms of tourism, towards destinations that offer wildlife and heritage,” said Cristian Barhalescu, State Secretary, Ministry of Regional Development and Tourism of Romania. “As wetlands, with their diversity and richness, become subject to tourism development, the interconnection between tourism and wetlands should be given special attention by all actors involved.”

Through 14 case studies, covering different wetland types around the world, the publication demonstrates how sustainable tourism practices in and around wetlands can contribute to conservation, economic growth, poverty reduction and support to local cultures.

The publication was launched at the 11th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (COP11) in Bucharest, Romania (6-13 July 2012). Held under the theme Wetlands and Tourism, COP11 will debate a landmark Resolution on Wetlands and Tourism, urging sound tourism practices in wetlands.

"The adoption of this Resolution on Tourism and Wetlands will provide an important framework to help countries better recognize the linkages between wetlands and tourism so as to develop sustainable tourism in wetlands and other ecosystems. It proposes measures that they can take in the short and long term to ensure sustainable wetland tourism," said Anada Tiega, Secretary General of the Ramsar Convention. "Of course it is important to consider tourism in all wetlands – not just those designated as Ramsar Sites – since the Contracting Parties to the Convention are committed to managing all wetlands and promoting their wise use."

“For Romania, the development of eco-tourism in the wetlands is a priority, and an example in this respect is the Danube Delta. Ramsar Sites in Romania must be placed at the very centre of our attention and the Ministry of Environment and Forests, together with the Ministry of Regional Development and Tourism, will ensure that this becomes a reality,” stated Corneliu Mugurel Cozmanciuc, State Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests of Romania.

The focus on tourism at COP11 comes on the back of increasing collaboration between UNWTO and the Ramsar Secretariat. Since 2010, both have been working together towards the development of sustainable wetland tourism, with World Wetlands Day 2012 (2 February) celebrated under the theme “Wetlands and Tourism: A Great Experience”.

“Wetlands are one of tourism’s greatest assets, attracting millions of tourists each year,” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai. “Working in close partnership with the Ramsar Secretariat, UNWTO is determined to sustainably manage wetland tourism through sound polices and planning, thereby conserving them for the enjoyment of generations to come.”

International tourist arrivals reached 982 million in 2011 and are expected to top one billion in 2012, generating over US$ 1 trillion in international tourism receipts. It is estimated that half of all tourists travel to wetlands, particularly coastal areas.