Adventure tourism is a sector of the travel industry that our August edition cover sponsor, SATIB Insurance Brokers have specialised in for many years.
Obtaining tailor-made liability risk transfer cover for adventure operators is no easy task, considering the diversity of potentially hazardous activities that are offered by adventure tourism operators.
To compound matters, inbound tourists emanating from European Union countries are protected by the European Community Directive 90/314/EEC on Package Holidays and Travel Trade Act, 1995, which places the onus of liability squarely on the shoulders of the travel organiser who sold the package to the tourist − from the time of departure to return.
For more detail on the EC Directive, download the SATSA Southern Africa Tourism Insurance Directive PDF booklet at www.satib.com.
Given the onerous terms of the EC Directive, it’s understandable that buyers insist that their ground handlers in Africa, and specifically their activity service suppliers, such as adventure operators, have appropriate liability insurance cover in place that not only complies with the terms of the Directive but also extends to cover all sub-contractors involved in the performance and delivery of the package holiday.
So important is this aspect of liability, that South Africa’s previous Minister of Tourism, Marthinus van Schalkwyk made a call for the sector to put sound regulatory measures relating to safety and operational standards in place, in order to build the credibility and profile of a reliable Adventure Tourism industry in South Africa.
The National Department of Tourism (NDT) partnered with the South African Tourism Services Association (SATSA) to organise and host an inaugural workshop on self-regulation for the Adventure Tourism Sector which took place on the 19 March 2014 in Cape Town. The workshop provided a platform for information sharing, exchange of best practices, and solicited input pertaining to the implementation of stakeholder consultative sessions to be organised throughout the 2015 financial year. (read more on the subject of adventure tourism on pages 32, 34, 38 and 39).
In this edition of Tourism Tattler, we salute the achievements of the 2015 Lilizela Tourism Award finalists, and the 2015 Rhino Conservation Award winners.
We also cover the recently released report on recommendations to guide South African Tourism’s future strategic direction. We also have tips on Agritourism and on managing operational change for Tour Operators.
There’s business advise on Value Added Tax and on how to claim money back from Skills Development Levy contributions. Several restaurant and property reviews, and finally tips for those who want to attract the growing Avitourism market to South Africa.
Enjoy your reading!
Yours in Tourism,
Des Langkilde. [email protected]
