The recognition in Indaba’s Inspirational Awards rounds off a landmark 12 months for the EcoTraining team.

In the past year, EcoTraining became the first and only field guidetraining provider in South Africa to offer university-level NQF5 qualifications accredited by the Council on Higher Education.

In September, it was named Best Education Study Abroad Provider at the 2025 Global Youth Travel Awards in Lisbon.

Now, South African Tourism has recognised the organisation for innovation in conservation education through its Inspirational Awards.

Bringing the bush to a global audience

Over 33 years, EcoTraining has trained more than 17,000 people from 33 countries at its immersive, unfenced camps in South Africa, Botswana and Kenya. Its graduates lead safaris across the continent. Close to a thousand have come from China alone, returning home as guides and guardians of the African wilderness.

The Indaba judges recognised the way EcoTraining is opening the world of conservation to people who can’t always reach the bush. In 2023, it launched the Online Field & Trails Guide Programme, making FGASA-accredited training available anywhere through virtual classrooms, live lectures and field videos, with the option to follow up with an immersive in-camp practical.

Other online courses, including the newly launched Inside the Pride, which explores the evolution, ecology and behaviour of lions, allow guides, wildlife enthusiasts and conservationists to broaden their knowledge and safeguard Africa’s vulnerable species and natural heritage – alongside courses in ecology, wildlife photography, birding and tracking, designed for travellers who want to add more onto a traditional Big-5 safari.

Recognition with a wider message

The Indaba Inspirational Awards honour innovation, inspiration, empowerment, and excellence across African tourism, and the recognition means a great deal to the entire team.

“Three achievements in a single year tell us something bigger is happening,” says EcoTraining’s MD, Anton Lategan. “People want travel that means something. They want to understand the places they visit and leave them better than they found them. Our job is to keep building the courses, camps, guides and advocates that make that possible.”

EcoTraining has delivered guide training in eight countries over the last year and is honoured to train the safari guides of A&K Sanctuary, Londolozi, Great Plains Botswana, the Female Nature Guide Training Programme of African Bush Camps Foundation, and many other top safari organisations. Alongside this, EcoTraining’s wider course range continues to grow, with career courses for school leavers, guides, career-changers, gap year students, mature learners and lifelong conservationists, online and in the bush.

This accreditation shift brings substantial changes for guides and aspiring professionals. The new QCTO framework will likely introduce different training structures, assessment methods, and administrative requirements. Those without NQF4 certification may need to complete additional training under the new system, potentially facing longer timelines and increased costs. EcoTraining’s Online NQF4 Bridging Course provides a strategic opportunity to secure recognised qualifications – without interrupting current employment – before these changes take effect.

“Change is the only constant in this industry,” says Brett Heasman, EcoTraining General Manager overseeing the NQF4 programme. “Expanding your knowledge and skill set now is vital, especially with the right people mentoring and supporting you through every step. This new way forward is about helping guides grow with consistent support and structured learning.”

Features of the Online NQF4 Bridging Course:

• Live, interactive lectures combined with official FGASA modules
• Professional mentorship throughout the programme
• Flexible format designed for currently employed guides
• Completion before regulatory changes provides a competitive advantage

The South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) is currently transferring guiding certifications to create a full Tourist Guide qualification, with Nature Guide part-qualifications expected at NQF Level 3 or 4. Guides who already hold NQF4 certification will be better positioned once these changes take effect.

Beyond regulatory compliance, the qualification serves as a stepping stone to further education, including EcoTraining’s Higher Education Ecotourism Field Guide Programme (NQF Level 5).

“For years, guiding knowledge has been passed from one passionate individual to another,” Heasman notes. “This next chapter formalises that learning, while keeping it grounded in the real, muddy-boots world that makes guiding so special.” Interested parties can explore EcoTraining’s courses, including the Online NQF4 Bridging Course, at www.ecotraining.co.za. 

This milestone reflects not just the continuation of a programme, but a celebration of its intentional impact on lives, businesses, and communities. To date, the programme has supported 47 tourism-focused SMMEs across South Africa, providing them with hands-on, tailored business development support and facilitating meaningful access to the hospitality sector’s procurement value chain.

“As we reflect on this journey, we are not merely ticking compliance boxes – we are acknowledging the journey of transformation. Our commitment to inclusive growth is rooted in action, outcomes, and the belief that entrepreneurship is the heartbeat of a sustainable economy. Being intentional about our commitment has reinforced our success and the positive milestones we have seen our ESD partners achieve,” says Lindiwe Sangweni-Siddo, Chief Operating Officer of City Lodge Hotels.

At the heart of the programme’s success lies a blended incubator approach, combining business development support with operational enablement based on the unique needs of each SMME. Delivered through Sigma International’s 17 professional staff and a network of over 30 partners (nationally and globally), this support ecosystem has proven to be a winning formula.

The programme is ISO 9001:2015 quality-assured, integrating both human-centred and AI-driven tools to help entrepreneurs build resilient, future-ready businesses. From training webinars and management accounts to branding, equipment grants, marketing development, business linkages and digital transformation support, the intervention is as practical as it is powerful.

What makes the CLH approach truly distinctive is its integration with hotel operations. General managers from the group’s 55 hotels located in South Africa (it also has one property each in Windhoek, Namibia; Gaborone, Botswana; and Maputo Mozambique) nominate beneficiaries and play an active role in mentorship and development, creating a business support experience that is both embedded and empowering.

“We’re championing a new kind of supplier development, one that is deeply integrated, practical, and geared towards long-term sustainability. Watching our suppliers grow and diversify is deeply rewarding. It’s not just about today’s contracts, but about helping build tomorrow’s resilient and sustainable businesses. We also want to see the SMMEs that we partner with scaling up and growing into companies that have a national footprint, and are hopefully global entities one day,” adds Lindiwe. As a B-BBEE Level 1 Contributor, City Lodge Hotels management places a lot of importance on the growth of the ESD businesses they work with, as this is included in revenue and employment.

The programme continues to encourage digitalisation, the use of AI, diversification, and self-empowerment, preparing entrepreneurs for a future economy. As procurement value continues to grow, CLH and its partners celebrate the economic returns and the human stories and community impact that come from building sustainable businesses that pay it forward in an intentional manner.

This fourth year represents more than continuation – it is a reflection point and a call to action for others in the sector. By “journaling the journey,” CLH invites the broader industry and ecosystem stakeholders to walk alongside in creating an inclusive, empowered tourism economy, one entrepreneur at a time.

Township and Village is a tourism social enterprise that develops and sells community-based cultural and historical experiences for tourism entrepreneurs who deliver the products in their communities, in and around Stellenbosch.

The Township and Village social enterprise was co-founded by socio-economic development specialist Nicolette Booyens and the non-profit Stellenbosch Entrepreneur and Enterprise Development Trust (SEED) in July 2018 to promote local economic development through tourism. The social enterprise start-up was funded by Stellenbosch Municipality, Stellenbosch University, Old Mutual Foundation and Greater Stellenbosch Trust (GST).

The purpose of the social enterprise is to create market access for community-based tourism entrepreneurs and to develop high-quality, authentic, and culturally significant tourism experiences. “This initiative gives expression to the South African tourism-led economic development strategy and is a blueprint for successful community-based tourism development”, says co-founder and Regenerative Tourism lead at Visit Stellenbosch, Nicolette Booyens.

Visit Stellenbosch partnered with Township and Village in 2020, as part of their Regenerative Tourism drive, and provides strategic tourism consultation, marketing support and product development funding through the Cape Winelands District Municipality LTA and BR&E funding programmes.

Rene Momberg was appointed to manage the social enterprise in June 2022, and together with Leana Kotze of SEED and the ongoing support of GST, they have grown the entity to new heights. “We are thrilled to share that we’ve achieved something truly incredible at Township and Village! This recognition from WTM Africa is not just a personal milestone for me, but evidence of our team’s passion, dedication, and commitment to sustainable tourism. Township and Village will continue to bring visitors into community-based spaces by creating meaningful experiences that enlighten, teach, discover, entertain and create community heritage recognition. Thank you for the unwavering support of our Joint Venture partner, Visit Stellenbosch, and all of our funders that have helped to make this a reality.”, says Rene Momberg Head of Growth, Experiences and Strategic Partnerships of Township and Village.

Township and Village is a social enterprise with sustainability as a central goal and positioned to alleviate the two biggest problems emerging tourism entrepreneurs face, which are product development and access to formal tourism markets.

Township and Village offers an extensive range of unique experience products, each operated by one or multiple independent service providers (tourism entrepreneurs) that benefit directly from the trade procured. To find out more, visit https://townshipandvillage.co.za/.

“Stellenbosch is leading the way in tourism growth in South Africa, attracting an enviable visitor profile. The reality is that this growth doesn’t always translate into financial benefits for community-based tourism entrepreneurs. The challenge lies in limited market access, which leads to a low consumption rate of local offerings.

That’s why, together with our partners, we’re committed to driving systemic change through our Regenerative Tourism Strategy — focusing on community-based enterprise development, youth employment, deeper sector integration, and truly sustainable practices. It’s not just about growth, but about inclusive, lasting impact.” says Visit Stellenbosch CEO, Annemie Liebenberg

Ultimately, it takes a village to bring about meaningful change, and the multi-dimensional partnership approach in Stellenbosch is aligned with the objective of Sustainable Development Goal #17: “Partnerships for the goals”. Township and Village attest to the commitment and integration of the Stellenbosch tourism industry, local government, education providers and civil society.

The State of the Market report, which forms part of Corporate’s Travellers commitment to guide clients out of the COVID-19 crisis and onto the road to recovery, shows that half of customers (50%) have reignited their travel programme to some extent since August 2020.

Especially domestic business travel has shown promise with the vast majority of businesses (90%) planning to travel domestically and regionally in the months ahead. Long-haul international travel might take longer to recover, with no strong indication of when business will return to ‘normal’. The average number of trips is also expected to drop from an average of 6-8 trips to 3-4 trips annually.

An indication of the patchy return to travel can be observed in airline schedules and seat capacity. Globally, airline seats have risen and fallen week to week in what has been a very volatile process as airlines try to decipher the demand, traveller confidence and future government restrictions. Going forward, affordability of flights combined with traveller confidence and discretionary budget to spend on flights will be determining factors when it comes to airline recovery.

Hotel rates globally are expected to drop by 4,5% while in Africa we can foresee a drop of 3% in hotel rates. This has, for the first time in 10 years, created a buyers’ market with hotels offering a combination of fixed negotiated rates and dynamic discount rates.

Despite the temporary drop in hotel rates, companies are anticipating travel costs to rise incrementally as suppliers such as airlines and hotels try to recover losses incurred during 2020. It’s therefore not surprising that travel managers rank travel budgets as their second priority for the future after traveller safety.

Travel budgets remain tight for most companies for the foreseeable future. A guide with handy tips on how to curb travel leakage and make intelligent savings on your corporate travel without impacting on the comfort of the traveller was released to help companies navigate budget restraints.

Even during these difficult economic times, Corporate Traveller understands the importance for customers to work with Level 1 B-BBEE providers. “We are very proud to say that Corporate Traveller once again achieved a Level 1 rating in 2020. Not only does a B-BBEE certificate help our clients achieve their procurement goals, it is also a representation of our ongoing commitment to transformation,” says Oz Desai, GM Corporate Traveller.

Traveller readiness is another important factor to consider. While employees might be able to navigate the meeting or board room with confidence, taking to the road or the skies during COVID-19 can create trepidation in even the most organised of travellers. That is why Corporate Traveller has put together a comprehensive toolkit that will allow companies to gauge traveller confidence and help them be prepared for travel in COVID times.

Although the road to recovery for business travel remains largely unpredictable, Desai says Corporate Traveller is cautiously optimistic for the months and years ahead. “Business travel is a critical component of success for many industry sectors and we expect a gradual return to corporate travel in our market. As our borders reopen, businesses will need to navigate their way to recovery and position themselves to be ready for the next step. That’s where our consultative approach comes in. At Corporate Traveller, we have made a solemn pledge to help companies maximise and control their travel budget for the years to come,” he concludes.

For more information about Corporate Traveller or to interview Corporate Traveller South Africa GM Oz Desai, call Dorine Reinstein on 083 278 8994 or email dorine@bigambitions.co.za.

Organisers of the online event aim to host 5,000 pre-selected buyers from a diverse range of companies across the world and from their global database.

Buyers will have access to one-to-one meetings for free, along with other opportunities to meet exhibitors taking part in WTM Virtual and Travel Forward Virtual. Furthermore, they can meet members of the media and influencers from around the world.

Some buyers with spending power in certain sectors will be selected to take part in Speed Networking sessions during London Travel Week.

As well as sealing crucial business contracts for 2021 and beyond, the buyers will be able to learn about key travel trends as the industry recovers, rebuilds and innovates in the wake of the pandemic.

Those who apply will be vetted to ensure they are senior, high-calibre buyers and then they can join the WTM Buyers’ Club.

This will enable free access to the entire WTM Virtual platform, with many opportunities to connect, learn and do business.

The online activities start with London Travel Week (30 October-5 November) which hosts networking and promotional opportunities ahead of the main events during WTM Virtual (9-11 November).

WTM London’s Senior Director Simon Press said:

“This will be a vital opportunity for senior buyers to reconnect with valuable contacts in the wake of the pandemic, as we all look to recover and rebuild in 2021.

“Many travel businesses have seen widespread changes in personnel over the course of the COVID-19 crisis so it’s more important than ever for buyers and suppliers to make contact with the right people in order to plan their roadmap to recovery.

“Our number one priority is to facilitate meetings and networking – but another key element will be our conference sessions with thought leaders from across the travel industry. These will help buyers invest in the right products and destinations for growth next year.”

He added: “Although we can’t meet in person this year, the online platform does mean that we can attract a wider variety of buyers than in previous years.

“The WTM Portfolio team has hosted many virtual events in recent months and we have a 40-year track record of holding top-level gatherings, so buyers and suppliers can be confident that they will have a first-rate experience.

“WTM Virtual will be a must-attend event for senior buyers with substantial spending power who want to conduct business, develop trusted partnerships and lay the foundations for a bounce-back in 2021.”

“We launched Africa Travel Week Connect this week as a platform for stakeholders to connect and be heard, as we found that there’s a greater need than ever for the industry to connect with each other,” says Megan Oberholzer, Portfolio Director – Travel, Tourism and Creative Industries, Reed Exhibitions. “The bite-sized #INTHEKNOW brainstorming events are part of this new platform and aim to bring together the greatest minds in travel and tourism to come up with innovative solutions to some of the most difficult challenges we’ve ever faced.”

“After realising the fatigue of many stuck in hours-long webinars for a month plus, the bite-sized event concept was born,” says Natalia Rosa, Managing Director, Big Ambitions. 

The first #INTHEKNOW event took place on 07 May 2020 and saw industry players come up with concrete solutions on how travel companies can prepare for a possible December timeline for domestic tourism recovery as predicted by Minister of Tourism Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane.

The tourism industry agreed that a December timeline for domestic tourism recovery was a too conservative approach, and that the industry could play a valuable part in convincing the government that a shorter recovery timeframe would not only be possible, but also much less risky than anticipated.  

Although the onus is on the government to formulate the required health and safety measures needed for the opening of the tourism sector, the industry can be proactive and demonstrate its willingness to adapt and put measures and protocols in place to ensure the health and safety of travellers. 

A few of the suggestions included a risk assessment that would take into consideration occupancy levels of hotels and the remoteness of the destination, as well as checklists on safety measures. Greater collaboration will be needed across the industry and common agreements will need to be put into place. 

Tourism players also formulated the need for an information hub where industry players can find an overview of safety standards and best practice for hotels, lodges, transport and attractions. This information hub could also outline airline practices and the gradual reopening of routes as well as destination constraints and guidelines and business advice. 

An attendee at the #INTHEKNOW virtual event, Clive Friedberg from Executive Touring commented that “after taking part in many webinars over the last few weeks I was impressed by the ease, comfort and especially the quality of discussion that was achieved.” He also added that he was looking forward to joining the next one.

Part 2 of the #INTHEKNOW series will be held on Thursday, 28 May 2020 at 2:00 pm. For more details on how to register, email: atwconnect@reedexpoafrica.co.za or check for the latest updates at www.atwconnect.com.

“The main thing to remember during this difficult time is that you are not alone. Now is the time to pull together as an industry,” says Jurni CEO Dr Nomvuselelo Songelwa.

“As SA Tourism says in their moving video clip: Yes, there is fear. Yes, there is panic. But, do not be alarmed. We will meet again. We will do the things that matter with the people we love again. We will go back to our favourite spots, and we’ll even discover new ones. We will travel again.”

So, how can you ride out the storm, and come out stronger on the other side? Dr Songelwa shares five tips on how tourism SMMEs can remain relevant during this period of lockdown.

1. Reach out to your tourism family

It is said that one in ten people globally works in travel and tourism. That makes this industry the biggest family in the world.

Reach out to colleagues by joining industry associations like NAA-SA, SATSA, FEDHASA, SAVRALA and those associated with the Tourism Business Council of South Africa.

These organisations provide their members with the resources they need to not only respond to traveller questions, but also to weather the storm as a business. To keep its members informed so that they can employ proactive measures and precautions, SATSA is updating its Coronavirus website page continuously with information from official sources.

1. Connect with your travellers

Although travellers from key source markets will not be able to visit South Africa for now, it remains important to connect with potential travellers, remembering that there will be a time that travel will once again flourish.

“I would encourage small, medium and micro enterprises to make sure they’re being seen by their audience,” says Dr Songelwa. “In this difficult time, it’s imperative to increase your brand visibility, making sure it’s cleverly targeted, in places and on platforms where your target audience will see you.”

Travellers are already on social media, but these days, they are likely checking in much more frequently as they are in lockdown. Try to offer light, positive content to help take people’s minds off the panic and give them something to look forward to.  Increase your posting frequency to ensure you are showing up in their news feeds.

1. Think out of the box

Just because you’re not out and about showcasing our beautiful country to travellers, doesn’t mean you should sit back and relax.

As an SMME, you are likely to have an entrepreneurial spirit. Use it to think out of the box and position your company in a new and innovative way.

The pilot of Jurni’s booking tool went live in December 2019. Small businesses mustn’t lose sight of these types of platforms, which will put them directly in front of customers during the buying stage of their travel planning.

Unlike your business’s social media pages, once you’ve listed your business on a booking platform, you can manage your inventory and prices easily, and you won’t need to create fresh content every day to stay top of mind.

1. Enrol the government for financial help

The government has vowed to support small businesses during these difficult times. There are several support measures in place.

The Department of Small Business Development has made over R500 million available immediately to assist small and medium enterprises that are in distress. This fund can be accessed through a simplified process on http://www.smmesa.gov.za/.

The Department of Tourism has made R200 million available to assist SMMEs in the tourism and hospitality sector who are under particular stress due to the travel restrictions. To be eligible, businesses must meet the specific application qualifying criteria, available on NDT’s website.

Meanwhile, President Ramaphosa also announced that tax compliant businesses with a turnover below R50 million would be allowed to delay 20% of their pay-as-you-earn liabilities over the next four months, as well as a portion of their provisional corporate income tax payments, without incurring penalties or interest charges over the next six months. Ramaphosa said this intervention is expected to assist over 75,000 small and medium-term enterprises.

1. Keep a routine and stay updated

When working from home, it is very easy to start feeling isolated. In our current age of technology, fortunately, there’s no need to feel disconnected from your colleagues or the world.

Keep up the chats with colleagues in a virtual way and check in with friends and colleagues daily. Use video-conferencing and make sure to be reachable and responsive during working hours.

It’s important to structure your day, keep up with the news in the tourism sector and manage your productivity. That way, when things return to ‘normal’, you will be ready.

As we are all navigating uncertain times, remember that this too shall pass. We will come out stronger and ready to once again welcome tourists to our beautiful shores, parks and cities.

All staff worldwide are now being further empowered to use their skills and initiative to do the right thing for any customer at that moment. The worldwide roll out is a direct result of the successful start of the programme at Heathrow – earlier this year British Airways won the title of Best Airline Staff in Europe at the prestigious Skytrax World Airline Awards. 

Sumer Adlakha, British Airways’ Customer Service Manager in Delhi, Mumbai & Maldives said:  

“The new approach has been welcomed by the whole of our airport team and our customers. It gives us the ability to own and resolve a problem without having to ask customers to call or email our Customer Relations team which is time-consuming for them. They’ve told us they love that our agents are using their own knowledge and skills to resolve issues and particularly enjoy the personal touch we are able to give in each situation.” 

Tom Stevens, British Airways’ Head of Airport Operations said: 

“We’ve seen a fantastic response to the First Contact Resolution programme at Heathrow, which is about going back to basics and emphasising the age-old concept of ‘treating others as you would want to be treated’.  The roll out worldwide will provide consistency for our customers, giving everyone the unique and personal attention that they deserve, wherever they are in the world.” 

The roll out of First Contact Resolution is a part of British Airways’ £6.5 billion investment in customer experience over five years. This includes taking delivery of 73 new aircraft including A350 and 787s, refurbishing long-haul aircraft with new cabins, introducing new, redesigned lounges, new dining across all cabins, new bedding and amenity kits for First, Club World and World Traveller Plus, best quality onboard WiFi for every aircraft and access to power at every aircraft seat. The airline recently introduced its Club Suite, a new business class seat with direct-aisle access on its A350 aircraft, which is being rolled out across the British Airways’ long-haul fleet. 

IATA represents 290 airlines comprising 82% of global air traffic. The 25by2025 initiative, launched earlier this year, sets several goals for its member airlines, including increasing the number of women in senior positions and underrepresented jobs, such as pilots or operations, to a minimum of 25%. Additionally, it calls for transparency by inviting airlines to report key diversity metrics annually.

Kirsten Rehmann who has been General Director of Hahn Air since 2012, commented: “For Hahn Air, gender equality has always been part of our corporate ethos and I am immensely pleased to champion this initiative that recognises the need for a change. I believe that this campaign is a big step in the right direction and will play an important role in driving gender equality forward within the industry. I strongly believe that we need diversity in every sense of the word, and not limited to gender, to create the best work culture and ultimately make the best decisions and achieve the best results.”

Hahn Air’s Head of Human Resources, Martina Wiesmann, added: “We at Hahn Air are proud of our diverse and inclusive workplace that cultivates a climate of respect, equity and positive recognition. It has always been our company’s mindset to appoint the best candidates, irrespective of their gender, and disregarding potentially discriminating factors such as part-time employment, motherhood or potential future pregnancies. The result is that we have an excellent workforce across all hierarchy levels, and we also not only meet, but surpass the desired gender ratio with 39% of women in leadership positions and 30% of female pilots. As we will continue committing to an employment culture where people of every gender have the opportunity to achieve their potential, we expect this ratio to further improve towards gender equality.” 

“We welcome Hahn Air’s commitment to the 25by2025 campaign. We need a skilled, diverse and gender balanced workforce to meet the growing needs of our customers. Aviation is the business of freedom. And 25by2025 will help this important global industry be an even better employment opportunity for all people looking to make their career by linking the world,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO.