It is only natural that South Africa's tourism industry adopts ecotourism into it's long-term plan

It is only natural that the South African tourism industry would embrace ecotourism as a working model for the industry’s sustainability into the future. South Africa is ranked third in the world for biodiversity, and its popularity as a tourism destination continues to grow along with the sector’s substantial contribution to the national gross domestic product.

By adopting responsible tourism practices, the industry both suitably responds to the demands of international travel market and ensures the longevity of the natural surroundings and fragile cultures that form the basis of the industry’s offering to visitors.

South Africa has wholly embraced the practice of ecotourism and has, in many instances, pioneered successful world-class ecotourism projects.

Ecotourism can be defined as “responsible travel to natural areas, which conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people” (The International Ecotourism Society, 1990).

To date, South Africa has hundreds of projects under way that address the demands of climate change, create employment, preserve heritage, promote conservation, and stimulate the economy – both locally and nationally.

Investment in the sector continues to grow along with the demand for eco-friendly travel destinations and activities.

One of the most essential components to the success of ecotourism as a whole is collaboration between all parties that can contribute solutions: South Africa has been successful in gaining buy-in from the private sector, local bodies and communities, the government and individual tour operators to co-operate in the execution of large-scale conservation projects – attracting much positive attention and interest from potential investors.

The Winelands is one of the Western Cape’s biggest and most popular offerings to the tourism activities of the region.

Because a large percentage of the vineyards in the Western Cape are located where native Fynbos and renosterveld grow, the local wine industry has made conservation of this natural habitat a priority since 2004.

Wine producers established a partnership with the Botanical Society of South Africa and The Green Trust to implement the Biodiversity & Wine Initiative (BWI). Together with Wines of South Africa, a non-profit organisation and industry representative, they have set aside a larger area for the conservation of the Cape Floral Kingdom than the total national vineyard.

This award-winning commitment to biodiversity forms the foundation for more than 150 accredited members of BWI to work together or individually to raise awareness about local biodiversity, minimise the threat to the ecosystem, and produce wine in a sustainable manner for the upliftment of the greater community.

Testimony to that commitment, the Cape Winelands has been the forerunner in establishing the world’s first biodiversity wine route, suitably named the Green Mountain Eco Route.

The Darling Wine Route was the first to receive BWI membership status as a district, with all individual farms acquiring accreditation.

Conservancies have been established in a number of areas within the Winelands to increase public awareness to the importance of these regions and raise funds to support their restoration and preservation.

Other than positively affecting the environment, ecotourism in the Western Cape Winelands has broadened its reach beyond the production of wines to include markets, festivals and activities as a way to generate awareness among residents and visitors around issues such as recycling, saving energy and waste reduction.

Job creation has been another crucial factor to the success of ecotourism in the Winelands.

Dreamcatcher is an organisation that focuses on community-based tourism in South Africa. It facilitates “The Alternative Winelands Tour”, which deviates from the beaten track and showcases the lives of labourers who established the Western Cape’s wine estates and the communities that were born from them. Guests visit farms that demonstrate a commitment to empowering their employees and have firsthand cultural experience with the local people.

The revenue generated by tourism activities is reinvested into the community and development programmes.

This serves as merely one example of hundreds of community-based conservation projects throughout the country. Perhaps the largest is the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Reserve, established by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization as one of more than 400 biospheres across the world where important ecosystems lie adjacent to human settlements, with the goal of promoting sustainability.

Stretching across the greater Kruger bioregion, the project included the participation of 1.5 million unskilled, rural people and is a working example of how much more valuable a protected environment is over its ability to be exploited in the short term.

Accommodation establishments that form part of the overall tourism sector have taken seriously the drive to ecotourism and made great strides in ensuring their compliance.

In 2009, South Africa was home to three of the National Geographic Adventure magazine’s list of 50 top ecolodges: Phinda Private Game Reserve, Tswalu Kalahari Game Reserve and Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve and Wellness Retreat earned the accolade because of their minimal impact on the natural environment, their incorporation of local cultural elements into their decor, promoting cultural exchange and sourcing produce from local farmers.

Another first in ecotourism is Buffalo Ridge Safari Lodge, South Africa’s first wholly owned, community-based safari lodge. It is an ecotourism partnership between North West Parks, the Balete Ba Lekgophung community and the operator, the Madikwe Collection.

The project is unique because the community owns the development and reaps the benefits of tourism in the region while preserving the ecosystems of the North West as well as their own culture and heritage.

Not only are the guides from the local community, but the lodge also provides much-needed employment and skills development training in the area.

Like the people of Balete Ba Lekophung, dozens of marginalised communities are making an invaluable contribution to the success of ecotourism in South Africa: Trainees and guides are recruited from disadvantaged communities; local artists are encouraged to showcase traditional arts and crafts; environmental awareness and infrastructure improves while heritage is preserved; and visitors to the country are given an authentic experience that can be maintained – a working example of ecotourism at its best.

The benefits and the necessity of ecotourism as a standard model of tourism in South Africa continue to mount as the industry achieves new levels of integration. With continued demand from travellers, the opportunities for investment in ecotourism are numerous and profitable beyond revenue. The returns on adopting ecotourism as second nature have far-reaching and all-encompassing effects that will ensure the sustainability of the tourism sector, and the country as a whole – well into the future.

Taryn Springhall