WTM Africa 2016

Wednesday 6th April

Responsible Tourism Business Seminar - Responsible Tourism for Accommodation Providers

06 Apr 2016, 08:00 - 10:00 Conference Theatre More
Two business seminars are being run at WTM Africa this year, your opportunity to hear from leading Responsible Tourism businesses and experts about how Responsible Tourism can benefit your business. There will be short presentations, focussed on how successful businesses are using sustainability to make their businesses better, more successful, more profitable and more resilient.

There are increasing costs associated with water, waste and energy and consumers’ expectations of both the guest experience and the sustainability credentials of their accommodation increase in importance  across more and more markets. This seminar will enable you to hear from a leading corporate purchaser of accommodation and leading accommodation businesses about how they are addressing these challenges, to ask your questions and get answers.What works, what doesn’t and why?

Chair: Harold Goodwin, WTM Responsible Tourism Advisor

Speakers:
Jo Anderson, Director, Carbon Tanzania
Jon Kilroe-Smith, General Manager, Club Mykonos Resort
Matthias Leisinger, Independent Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability, Kuoni - Switzerland
Sarah Farrell, Marketing Manager Verde Hotels
Toni Shina, Owner The Backpack Video
Chris van Zyl, Group Sustainability Manager, Vineyard Hotel.

Responsible Tourism Panel: Wildlife and Tourism in Africa

06 Apr 2016, 11:30 - 12:15 Conference Theatre More

Chair: Prof Harold Goodwin, WTM Responsible Tourism Advisor

Africa’s wildlife remains the major draw for many of those attracted to the continent, whether for a once-in-a-lifetime experience or as repeat visitors. The traditional safari game viewing experience has expanded to include charismatic marine mammals. The debate about the proper role of hunting in conservation, the degree to which local communities benefit from consumptive and non-consumptive tourism and the issues which have arisen around poaching, canned hunting and lion petting have been hot in the media over the last year. This panel will address the issues and be ready to answer your questions.

Speakers:
Colin Bell, Africa’s Finest no presentation
Lara Mostert , Marketing Executive, South African Animal Sanctuary Alliance (SAASA)
Joep Stevens, General Manager, Strategic Tourism Services, South African National Parks
Wilfred Pabst, Hamburg Businessman and Conservationist, hunter, owns a large conservancy in Zimbabwe and maintains that "those wanting to forbid sustainable hunting are malicious destroys of huge nature reserves certainly in Africa”. no presentation

Responsible Tourism - Conscious Cuisine Speed Marketing

06 Apr 2016, 15:30 - 16:15 Press Conference Theatre More

Organised by: Better Tourism Africa, The Longtable Project, The Private Hotel School and EcoAtlas

Baklava in Greece, injera in Ethiopia and bunny chows in Durban. There’s nothing like sampling a place’s food and drinks to create lasting memories of our travels. We go to restaurants, wineries and markets to find out what the locals love to eat, drink and celebrate with. And those of us who are among the growing number of consumers searching for meals that are organic, free range and ethical - meals that do not “cost the earth” - we find our happiness in cafés, craft breweries and bistros.

Join us to discover gems that not only enhance travel itineraries but also look out for the well-being of local people and the planet.

Screening of Blood Lions

06 Apr 2016, 16:30 - 18:30 Conference Theatre

Followed by a panel discussion with Ian Michler: Consultant and Lead Character for Blood Lions and Director of Invent Africa Safaris; Colin Bell: Founder Africa’s Finest, contributor to Blood Lions and ecotourism consultant and Sharon Gilbert-Rivett: Marketing Manager Fair Trade Tourism

Blood Lions™ (www.bloodlions.org) follows acclaimed environmental journalist and safari operator Ian Michler, and Rick Swazey, an American hunter, on their journey to uncover the realities about the battery farming of an iconic animal. It is a story that blows the lid off claims made by these operators in attempting to justify what they do. Currently, anywhere between 800 and 1 000 captive lions are being shot in South Africa, mostly by wealthy international hunters under conditions that are anything but sporting. In addition, we get to see the highly profitable commercialisation of lions through a variety of tourism products being offered - cub petting, volunteer recruitment, lion walking, and the new lion bone trade are all on the increase. And despite the operators claims, none of these activities has anything to do with conservation or securing the future of the species.

Blood Lions™ is a compelling call to action and shows how you can get involved in a global campaign to stop the exploitation and lions being bred for the bullet.

Thursday 7th April

Responsible Tourism and Tour Operators: The Business Case

07 Apr 2016, 08:00 - 10:00 Conference Theatre More

Two business seminars are being run at WTM Africa this year, your opportunity to hear from leading Responsible Tourism businesses and experts about how Responsible Tourism can benefit your business. There will be short presentations, focussed on how successful businesses are using sustainability to make their businesses better, more successful, more profitable and more resilient.

The experience economy is influencing consumer choice and raising the expectations of travellers and holidaymakers in more and more source markets. Travellers are demanding richer experiences and more engagement in the destination, they want to get closer to the people and their cultures and to the wildlife and just as they increasingly expect their consumer good to be sustainable so they expect more of their tourism providers. These expectations are reshaping the B2B and B2C markets - in this seminar, you’ll hear how successful businesses are meeting these challenges and have time to ask your questions of the experts.

Chair: Prof.Harold Goodwin, WTM Responsible Tourism Advisor

Speakers:
Michael Lutzeyer, Owner, Grootbos Private Nature Reserve no presentation
Paul Miedema, Co-founder, Calabash Tours
Craig Drysdale CMP, Head of Global Sales, Thomsons Africa
Christine Tworeck, General Manager, City Sightseeing

Responsible Tourism Panel: How resilient is your business?

07 Apr 2016, 14:30 - 15:15  Conference Theatre More

t sales and profitability first, they are fundamental to staying in business.  However, there are risks too. Drought, climate change, disease, continuity of supply and cost of energy and water, terrorism and crime, and licence to operate are all challenges for business in a sector which relies on consumer confidence not just in the business from which they are purchasing but in the places you do business. This panel of experts will share their experience and answer your questions.

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