Mantis, a leading conservation-focused hotel brand within the Accor group, has attained the first Global Humane Certified designation for Humane Tourism at four select locations.

Humane Tourism is a unique animal welfare certification programme that assesses and certifies wildlife reserves, lodging facilities, and tour operators for their humane responsibility toward the animal life these operations may encounter and potentially impact.

Global Humane has extended its conservation impact with a new Humane Tourism programme. As millions of people worldwide seek opportunities to connect with Earth’s wildlife, Global Humane has identified an opportunity to apply their expertise in animal welfare and create a unique certification programme in humane tourism.

Global Humane is the international brand of American Humane, the US’s first national humane organisation and the world’s largest certifier of animal welfare, helping to verify the humane treatment of more than one billion animals across the globe each year.

Audits of Mantis facilities in southern Africa were conducted in August, establishing that the properties met the certification requirements. The certification indicates that Mantis has met the comprehensive welfare criteria and rigorous tourism and animal wellbeing standards.

The sites that are certified include Nyosi Wildlife Reserve and the following Mantis properties:

• Mantis Founders Lodge in South Africa.
• Ichingo Chobe River Lodge by Mantis in Namibia.
• Chobe Princesses by Mantis on the border of Namibia and Botswana.
• Zambezi Queen by Mantis on the border of Namibia and Botswana.

Plans are under way to conduct audits of the remaining lodging facilities within the Mantis brand portfolio in the future, as Mantis looks to adopt this certification as a key brand standard.

“Accor invested into Mantis just over five years ago, with a key objective of bringing a brand with real conservation credibility into the portfolio. In an industry where everyone is talking about Environmental, Social and Governance [principles], Mantis has always focused on ‘doing’ and delivering credible outcomes at all our properties. The Humane Tourism certification of four of our properties is another layer in this continuous journey. We plan to work with Global Humane to achieve this accreditation for all properties within the portfolio,” said Craig Erasmus, Vice President of Operations Fairmont Africa & Mantis.

“Having been involved in land and wildlife restoration for thirty years, the recognition by Global Humane for my and my team’s achievements is an endorsement we will be forever proud of,” added Adrian Gardiner, Mantis Founder and Chairman.