The tourism industry in South Africa provides more than just safaris – with many adventure, sports and cultural tourism offerings across the country.

Eco-tourism is an important sector of the industry and a cannabis tour is the latest offering from Hello Adventure. The tour operator and travel agent is based in South Africa and focuses on ethical, planet-friendly tours and adventure activities.

Owners of Hello Adventure, Kim Kritzinger and Nicholas van Tonder, told Tourism Update that they had seen the positive impact marijuana had had on those dealing with chronic pain and noted how the perception of cannabis had altered since the changes in the law.

“We’ve both been operating in the tourism industry for a few years now. We realised that we’re in a position to make a positive difference by offering safe cannabis tours,” said Kritzinger.

“We want to give people access to the information that they’re hungry for, while keeping them within the boundaries of the law and without making them feel that they need to hide or feel like a criminal.”

This unique tour’s itinerary lets tourists speak to local growers about their strains of cannabis and visit cannabis clubs. Van Tonder said they hoped the tour would highlight local small businesses.  

“We want them to make a living selling cannabis-related products in a legal, ethical way,” said Van Tonder. “This is a ‘weed appreciation’ kind of tour. We welcome anyone on this tour who is curious to learn more, whether they personally choose to consume marijuana or not.”

Hello Adventure has seen an interest from both local and international travellers. “Local travellers seem to be more interested in being able to partake in a safe and legal way, and international travellers are more interested in the personal stories and history of the cannabis movement in South Africa,” said Kritzinger.

Both Kritzinger and Van Tonder believe that the tour provides a way for both the cannabis and tourism industry to grow together. “The tourism industry has recently focused on ethics, sustainability, safety and responsibility. These are things that can be carried over to the cannabis industry right from the start,” said Van Tonder.