Motivation for award: There is a distinct tendency with attractions and tour operators/DMC’s to talk about sustainable tourism, but very few go beyond talking the talk and actually walk the walk. We believe that we are one of the very few operators who realise that, in order to be truly sustainable, you have to cover all facets of sustainability: Planet (through ecotourism), People (both through community tourism as well as the way we treat our staff) and Profit (making sure that local communities and entrepreneurs profit as much as possible from tourism, and ensuring that we actively participate in training and funding of local initiatives in order to ensure this). We want to act as an example for other tour operators and entrepreneurs and stimulate them to take the step from talking to walking. Winning the South African Tourism Award would both validate our position and philosophy, as well as act as a stimulant for other operators to take the step towards true sustainable tourism. And this is necessary: without sustainability, we are destroying our own future. No more lions and rhino’s, more impoverished communities that do not profit from tourism as well as pollution through general mass tourism are a certain way to losing our tourism potential as a country. Based on market research, there is more than enough potential for an experience, not price, orientated direct selling organisation in the market. To do so four things are necessary: 1. Build a client, not product, orientated website, specifically made for a phone/tablet. Fill this with special experiences, responsible experiences, that inspire. Don’t be complete, be inspiring. 2. Develop and implement maximal use of SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) and social media marketing. In combination these will have to lead clients to our website. 3. Speed of reaction, attractive presentation and personal contact are key to clients booking. 4. AND personal joy in our work is absolute condition to succeed! Thus, Tales from Africa Travel was born and launched in 2020. Our mission: Tales from Africa Travel will successfully create a direct selling site with special, sustainable and experience-oriented tours in southern Africa. Clients will always have to feel that they are dealing with a person and not with a company. Each tour will be tailor-made to each client’s wishes. Engaging with clients before, during and after the tour is a focus point. Where these experiences do not exist, we will participate in developing them. The vision of the company is: You are our client. You dreamt of wild and exotic Tales from Africa, are passionate about travel and want to experience the REAL Africa in a such a way that your visit benefits the locals and the nature. We love making sure that YOU get to experience in an enriching way the local people, communities, and the nature of southern Africa! Since there are many so-called sustainable working tour operators, but most of these are not 100% committed to sustainability, there is both the need for, and the opportunity of success therein, for a new company to fill this market niche. For the three areas of sustainability this is implemented in the following ways. PLANET: All carbon emissions on the tour, so also for accommodations, activities and meals, are minimised where possible and 100% compensated. Compensation is done by planting trees in South Africa through the Trees for Tourism Program, to ensure that compensation happens where the emissions happen – in a clear, transparent and accountable way. We also encourage clients to book safari’s in a way that benefits the wildlife and nature and minimises the impact on the environment, both in a passive and and in a more active way. Passively: by combining regular safaris with walking safaris, we reduce carbon emissions on tour and they have less impact on the environment than vehicles do. Where electric vehicles are introduced, we will give preference to those. Actively: we encourage clients to include one of the conservation safari programs in their itinerary, or to join and sponsor a rhino- or other wildlife conservation experience. By involving clients in this, they become advocates for wildlife protection in their own communities. PEOPLE: The company has a strong aim towards traditionally disadvantaged communities and developing community experiences within these communities to generate jobs and income through tourism. Community tourism aimed at experiences is in its infancy, so this will need a lot of investment in time and training from the company. For staff the company aims to employ community members who will be trained by the company and whose workspace will not be in a centralised office, but in the community from where they come. This will result in more job creation as well as skills development within these communities. PROFIT: Tales from Africa Travel’s goals are to create a yearly turnover of 30,000,000 ZAR within 5 years’ time and through direct employment an income for 15 to 25 South African staff. Through the booking of clients in community experiences, accommodations, restaurants and excursion providers who are owned by locals, a partial or indirect income in communities and ecotourism for hundreds of local staff will also be realised – without evading tax obligations or syphoning off money outside the country. This is to ensure that all incoming funds will eventually return into the economy of the country where the clients travel. The owners and board members of Tales from Africa Travel have a huge pedigree in sustainable tourism. They have worked at the first Travelife certified tour operator in Africa, and one of the first Fair Trade Tourism approved tour operators. Tales from Africa Travel is 100% BEE. Since knowledge is power, to ensure its success on a worldwide market, Tales from Africa Travel has entered into a strategic partnership with Live2Roam travel from Holland, which will act as consulting agency for market development, financial development, marketing and general knowledge of the sustainable travel and of the overseas market. Live2Roam will not acquire a share in Tales from Africa Travel, neither now or in the future, so it’s a genuine partnership for the good of both companies. All of the above can be concentrated into Tales from Africa’s motto: Real People, Real Experiences, Real Sustainable.