As travellers become more aware of the footprint they leave behind on their journeys oversees, tourism businesses are realising the immense potential of luring visitors with their green policies while doing their part to save the planet.
South Africa offers a fair share of green destinations for both local and overseas visitors and the country has gained a reputation for being a green and ethical place to spend a holiday.
South Africa was recently ranked the ninth-best ethical destination in the world by Ethical Traveler. Argentina was ranked first. Environmental protection was an important consideration in the rankings. Ethical Traveler said South Africa’s many ecofriendly tourism ventures and perceived sustainable coastal development boosted its ranking.
But at the moment only 5% to 10% of South African tourism companies take responsible travel seriously, said Anton de Wit, head of reservations for tour operator Rhino Africa. He said about 4% embrace green travel purely to protect their income by appealing to a new group of travellers, rather than from a true commitment to social responsibility.
Whatever their motivation, it still is not enough, he said. ‘In South Africa it’s underdeveloped because business is still pretty good and companies are not being forced to look for alternative means of income or to put back into the community.”
But where are the holiday spots in South Africa that offer patrons a green experience?
Bulungula, an ecofriendly backpacker lodge on South Africa’s Wild Coast, is a good place to start. Last year it won the runner-up in the ethical category of the 2009 Travel Awards and visitors are now flocking to the Wild Coast to take advantage of its unique accommodation.
Bulungula is carbon neutral and runs purely on solar and wind power. The local Xhosa community of Nqileni village owns a 40% stake and helps to manage the lodge.
Another destination is the Hollow on the Square hotel in Cape Town, which recently opened its new green wing with an energy-wise plant. The hotel boasts that every possible green detail to save energy was thought of during renovations of the 50-year-old building.
Inverter air conditioners and intelligent systems ensuring that energy is used only when rooms are occupied are just two of the impressive energy saving tools incorporated.
‘Used commonly as an emotive marketing tool, the words ‘green’ and ‘ecofriendly’ have many adaptations to their actual meaning,” said Mark Bleloch, co-owner and project manager of Hollow on the Square’s green wing.
‘We were determined to enforce the ‘real deal’ at the Hollow on the Square green wing. Although we faced many challenges building in the city, we managed to reach our target of a 50% energy saving.
‘When guests leave their room, our six-star environmentally rated air conditioning system senses their departure and automatically switches to economy mode. Twelve solar panels transfer heat 11 storeys down to geysers and lights switch off due to the installation of intelligent-programmed key guards,” said Bleloch.
Other energy-saving tools used include low-energy lighting and double glazing, which boosts insulation and reduces noise. Cork-tile flooring and hand-crafted bamboo furniture complement the overall green philosophy.
‘Our extension uses half the amount of electricity than other hotel rooms. We hope that this remarkable achievement will help us to earn the highest green rating possible for a city hotel renovation. The ratings will assure our guests that they really are backing ‘green’ at its best when staying with us,” said Bleloch.
Persuading companies to become socially and environmentally responsible is easier than it once was, said Helen Turnbull, chief executive of responsible tourism management consultancy Serendipity Africa.
Tour operators are sometimes reluctant to support products that might be slightly more expensive due to their ethical principles, until they see that their clients enjoy a more enriching and meaningful holiday.
‘South Africa really laid the foundations for responsible travel and we could lead the field if we did a little more,” Turnbull said.
South Africa is also the only country to have a fair trade label for its tourism products — Fair Trade Tourism South Africa.
The Spier Hotel was the first luxury hotel in South Africa to win Fair Trade in Tourism (South Africa) certification. It boasts innovations such paper recycling, in which paper is turned into usable products, including name badges used at Spier conferences.
Spier is working towards becoming carbon neutral, with a zero-waste policy. It monitors water usage by patrons by lessening the washing cycle and encourages patrons to become more water conscious. Its toilet paper is made from sugar cane reeds, naturally bleached, and no chemicals are used during the manufacturing process.
A 20-litre mineral water dispenser is available at the back of the Cape Winelands conference centre for delegates to refill their bottles instead of taking new plastic bottles.