Transfrontier Parks Destinations (TFPD), South Africa’s leading group focused on promoting community-based tourism, has become Fair Trade Tourism certified.
The group, which is headquartered in Cape Town, launched in 2004 with a mission to manage community-owned properties in transfrontier parks and adjacent conservation areas. Since inception, responsible tourism and conservation has been at the heart of its operating ethic.
Today TFPD’s South African portfolio includes 12 community-owned lodges and camps, situated in geographically disparate and ecologically diverse locations. The group only manages one privately-owned property – a boutique guest-house outside Cape Town.
TFPD CEO Glynn O’Leary said local communities were custodians of many of the country’s most remarkable natural and cultural assets. “These have the potential to become enduring tourism attractions if managed and marketed with a responsible ethos,” he said.
“We’ve been partnering with local communities to manage and market their properties for more than a decade, driven by the desire to see sustainable jobs created and for these communities to have the opportunity to participate fairly in the tourism economy,” he said.
“Fair Trade Tourism certification enables us to ensure we are doing the right things for our communities, while the brand recognition helps us persuade responsible travelers that our properties are great places to truly experience South Africa’s culture, wildlife and wilderness areas.”
