To address the issue of traveller confidence in Africa (including Eastern and Southern Africa) as a destination, the US’s Africa Travel Association has, with the assistance of several Africa travel specialists, established the TourSafe Africa initiative that provides an additional safety assurance for travellers and the trade.
“Africa has always been viewed as an exotic and mysterious destination. To some travellers, Africa is thought of as not being as sophisticated as other areas in the world,” says Alana Hayden, Founder of Born Free Safaris & Tours and the Association for the Promotion of Tourism to Africa.
She adds that before the COVID-19 pandemic this outlook was changing. “Africa was becoming known as a destination not only for the adventure traveller but for the high-end luxury guest as well. But there are concerns that Africa will experience a slower recovery compared with other parts of the world.”
California-based travel adviser, Ronald S. Mracký, agrees, pointing out that that in a post-COVID reality it ultimately became evident there needed to be a convincing safety label that could be used across the supply chain with the sellers; the front-line travel agents and operators using it as a tool to make the sale and the inbound suppliers using it as an easy-to-understand designation that they are following the best health advice and rulings, and meet all the required heath safety directives.
The TourSafe Africa team’s role is to get the word out that hotels, lodges, camps, and tour operators in Africa are ready to welcome US travellers “on a journey of a lifetime”, says Hayden.
“Bringing back tourism to Africa is not only important to the safari travel trade but essential to the many local people that rely on tourism as a means of support. Statistics show that one in ten people in Africa is employed in tourism.”
Hayden adds that TourSafe Africa and its strategic partner, the Africa Tourism Association, want to assist in assuring that tourism to Africa “comes back stronger than ever”.
About TourSafe Africa
TourSafe Africa is a US-based, not-for-profit entity and African suppliers who are eligible to receive the TourSafe Africa designation are nominated by the TourSafe Executive and International Committee.
The committee consists of North American and international leaders of the Africa travel trade. TourSafe Africa advocates the procedures that have been developed by the World Travel and Tourism Council, the Centers for Disease Control and the UN World Tourism Organization, as well as local governments.
TourSafe Africa properties and tour operators must complete an application that details the use of these procedures as well as questions focused on safari travel.
Furthermore, the TourSafe website is a resource for the travel consumer to locate vetted accommodations and tour operators.
“The website will give potential travellers an additional sense of assurance when researching travel suppliers to Africa,” says Hayden.
Accommodation options are indexed by locations with click-through sites. There is a resource page that gives pertinent travel information as well as a section with property protocol manuals that show exactly what steps are being taken at locations.
Some of the current TourSafe property partners include Great Plains Conservation, African Bush Camps, More Family Collection, Desert & Delta, Angama, Legacy Hotels and Ultimate Safaris Namibia.
