Johannesburg, Tuesday 23 April 2019 – Following ten workshops held over the past two months across the country, the Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (SATSA) is making the content of the Animal Interaction workshop available online for comments and suggestions by interested parties in the tourism industry.
“To ensure that all stakeholders affected by, or with an interest in, animal interactions within the wider tourism industry are included, and to allow an opportunity for input for those who couldn’t make it to the workshops, SATSA is making the content of the workshop available online. We would like to encourage all interested parties to watch our video and to then complete a questionnaire providing feedback and suggestions,” says Keira Powers, Chairperson of the SATSA Animal Interaction Committee.
Click here to complete the questionnaire before the close of business on 30 April 2019.
The information acquired from the workshops and this questionnaire, along with further research (including analysis of legislation and regulations, consultation with key organisations, market and trends assessments among others) will be used to develop guidelines for animal interactions in tourism. A draft of this will be shared in the future for public comment.
“SATSA’s aim is for a fair and comprehensive process that is cognizant of all the complexities involved in the tourism industry. Although SATSA has taken on this endeavour, it is acting as an impartial arbiter that is seeking an ethics-based solution, by the tourism industry, for the tourism industry,” Powers adds.
The voice against tourism experiences that include animal interactions has grown louder and louder and this has impacted on how South Africa is being perceived as a tourism destination.
As the leading inbound tourism association, SATSA has been tasked by its members to develop guidelines for animal interactions in tourism. The Animal Interaction research is member mandated, board-approved and runs in partnership with South African Tourism.
“Providing the tourism industry with a useful tool by which to evaluate and select animal interaction activities in the tourism space, moved a step closer with the completion of the national workshops, and the online process takes this public consultation process a step further,” concludes Powers.
