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South African Tourism is teaming with independent, nonprofit NGO Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa to develop fair-trade tourism packages with outbound tour operators in leading source markets and step up a decade-old effort to promote the country as one of the world’s leading fair-trade tourism destinations. according to Katarina Mancama, FTTSA project manager.

Fair-trade tourism aims to promote sustainabilty and secure just wages for producers of travel product in developing countries. The FTTSA has promoted “fair-trade certified” South African tourism-related businesses such as hotels, attractions, tours, activities, transport and volunteer programmes since 2001 but has not yet certified airlines or incoming or outbound tour operators. The organisation currently works with about 70 South African travel and tourism businesses, which pay annual fees of between $75 and $6,625 to participate. Partners include Accor Hotels, Coffee Shack Backpackers and Calabash Tours.