Responsible Tourism
While it may be possible to take a hard-nosed commercial attitude when dealing with many tourism products, it isn’t possible to be involved with Africa and not to recognise the huge problems suffered by this impoverished continent, and the contribution that responsible tourism can make to helping with these problems.
Indeed tourism has become a major industry and foreign exchange earner for many African countries, and it is impossible to be involved in this industry without being conscious of the responsibilities that this imposes.
AfricaAway has identified the following areas as being relevant to this debate, and the following sections are very much our own take on the discussion: you may or may not agree with everything that we have to say. Please feel free to let us have your own thoughts on these important matters.
- Benefits to the Local Community - We strongly believe that there is no point in a country earning large amounts of revenue through tourism unless a substantial part of these revenues is used to benefit the community at ground level.
- Supporting Local Schools - Probably the greatest benefit that be conferred – and the individual safari guest can help massively here – is to give support to local village schools.
- Aid to Africa - It is too easy for individuals and governments just to shovel out financial aid to African countries. But this aid needs to be accurately directed and apportioned if it is to be of much value.
- Hunting and Conservation - As more and more species are added to the endangered list, so conservation becomes of ever increasing importance. Hunting and conservation are inextricably linked in this debate, and you may or may not agree with our conclusions in this respect.
- Carbon Offsetting - We are in two minds on the current ‘hot’ subject of carbon offsetting – particularly in the context of long haul air travel. Here we try to present a balanced view of the situation.
