Agents urged to check safety standards
FOLLOWING a directive from
the National Department
of Tourism (NDT) last year,
the Southern Africa Tourism
Services Association (SATSA)
is researching how best South
Africa’s adventure tourism
industry can regulate itself.
The aim is to promote South
Africa as the leading adventure
tourism destination in the
world.
A national steering
committee has been set up
by SATSA, under the auspices
of the NDT, and long-time
adventure tour operator, Bill
Harrop, ceo of Bill Harrop’s
‘Original’ Balloon Safaris, is
chairing the International Best
Practice self-regulation subcommittee.
So far, the sub-committee
has been looking at the
regulatory frameworks of
different countries that
govern adventure tourism
and has consulted with major
adventure tourism players in
South Africa and other privateand
public-sector stakeholders
to plot the way forward.
As a result of this research,
Bill says “responsible” agents
must be seen to conduct
their affairs with due diligence
to avoid employing a dodgy
operator and ensure the safety
of their clients. He offered
some questions agents can
ask adventure operators to
assess whether they’re the
real deal. These are valid for
both domestic and outbound
adventure travellers.
Does the excursion provider
have a valid operating licence
and are their vehicles,
aircraft or boats licensed?
Do they have up-to-date
public liability insurance and
how much?
Do they have an operations
manual and code of
conduct?
Can they prove staff
competency levels in
operations and first aid
and what is the staff-toparticipant
ratio?
Are vehicles and equipment
registered where necessary
and inspected and
maintained?
Are regular or pre-activity
checks carried out in
the environment of the
tour to ensure the safety
parameters are manageable
by the operations staff?
Do pre-activity checks
include general equipment
functionality, emergency
equipment, safety apparel,
radio communication
equipment, navigation
equipment and passenger
restraining devices?
Are there documented
safety, accident and
emergency procedures
covering evacuation, safety
equipment, staff member
roles, first-aid training,
communications and
equipment?
Are there accident and
incident records available for
inspection?
Are there safety notices
regarding fires, fire-fighting
equipment and fire escape
routes where applicable?
Are there first-aid kits with
content suitable to deal with
the relevant risks involved?
Are participants given a
safety briefing in their own
language?
Are there alcohol
consumption limitations,
smoking restrictions, or
height or weight limitations?
In the domestic arena, there
is a proposal on the table,
says Bill, to form an adventure
tourism accreditation body,
under the auspices of SATSA,
that will recognise adventure
operators who adhere to
specific, yet-to-be-finalised
criteria.
“Becoming accredited
will be voluntary, but will be
advantageous to adventure
operators, as the accreditation
will be a mark of quality
that operators can market
both internationally and
domestically.
“It will also give travel agents
and tour operators who book
these adventure tour operators
peace of mind, knowing
that they are working with a
reputable organisation, rather
than a fly-by-night operation
with poor safety standards.”
In many instances the bar is
set too high for adventure tour
operators to operate legally,
says Bill.
“At present, the adventure
tourism industry is governed
by a tangled web of regulation
by various bodies and
government institutions. This
has made it nearly impossible
for many adventure operators
to avoid flouting one or other
regulation, even though they
may run a very good and
reputable operation. This
affects these operators who
cannot be promoted by the
likes of SATSA, SA Tourism or
the NDT.”
In terms of qualification
requirements, the regulations
are also too stringent, says
Bill. For certain lower-level
jobs, practical experience
is most needed but often
an academic qualification is
required.
His committee is also
exploring the proposition for a
moratorium to be considered
to allow those currently behind
the curve to catch up, with the
caveat that employees must
be enrolled in relevant courses
and achieve benchmarked
progress towards the goal of a
specific qualification.
European cycling options from Austria Connection
AUSTRIA Connection’s
new brochure features
an expanded offering
that includes a number
of adventurous cycling
options.
There are cycle tours
in Austria, Hungary and
Slovenia, as well as bike
and boat tours in Austria,
Hungary, Romania and
Croatia. The majority
of cycle routes are on
dedicated cycle paths
with no danger from
traffic. Detailed maps
and help-line phone
numbers, in use seven
days a week, are supplied.
Arrangements are made
to transport luggage from
stop to stop, relieving
travellers of this task. Bike
rental is an extra cost
and hire options include
seven-speed, 21-speed or
electric cycles.
The routes are graded
according to three levels
of difficulty but many are
on flat, paved tracks all
the way. One of the bestknown
in Europe is the
Danube cycle path and
here Austria Connection
has a seven-night level-1
cycle tour from Passau
to Vienna. It is suitable
for beginners and even
children. The Slovenia
Bike and Wellness trip
combines a level-3, slightly
hilly route, with culinary
highlights and afternoons
spent relaxing at hotels
with thermal baths for the
aching legs.
Croatian cycle cruises
provide seven nights on a
gulet sailing between the
islands, along with cycling
around the islands amidst
the picturesque villages
and scenery.
Did you know?
A new glass floor at the Eiffel Tower offers another perspective on
Paris, the world’s most-visited city, one that is expected to become as
big an attraction as the viewing platform at the top. From a height of
57m, visitors can now look down through a solid glass panel, offering
a dizzying sensation of walking on air.
India – emerging adventure hotspot
INDIA is blessed with a
wide range of adventure
tourism opportunities spread
throughout the country.
With sun, sea, sand,
snow, wildlife and majestic
mountains, opportunities for
adventure are endless.
India is home to 73% of the
Himalayas, a beautiful and
large coastline, the colourful
desert state of Rajasthan, and
national parks that make it a
global bio-diversity hotspot.
There are nearly 100 national
parks, 400 wildlife sanctuaries
and 30 tiger reserves.
With some of the world’s
tallest peaks, the Himalayas
lend themselves to adventure
activities, from skiing to whitewater
rafting, hiking, trekking
and paragliding. Kashmir
and Jammu have excellent
powdered snow for skiing
and travellers can hire all the
necessary equipment there.
The best time to ski in India is
January to March.
India’s Ministry of Tourism
recently launched the ‘777
days of the Incredible Indian
Himalayas’ campaign to
promote adventure tourism
in the Himalayas. It has also
adopted the Adventure Tour
Operators’ Association of
India’s Basic Minimum Safety
Guidelines and the Global
Sustainable Tourism Criteria
to ensure that India is a safe,
sustainable and responsible
tourism destination.
Manas Ranjan Pattanaik,
Incredible India’s director,
says South Africans love
trekking and mountaineering
in the Himalayas and going on
wildlife safaris where they can
see Royal Bengal tigers, lions,
the Gujarat leopard, elephants,
buffalo, single-horn rhinoceros
and the Indian bison.
“For South Africans
who enjoy wildlife, I would
recommend tiger safaris,
expeditions to search for
the elusive snow leopard,
and birding safaris. Caving
in Meghalaya is also a new
activity that they will enjoy.”
Adventure enthusiasts can
also enjoy mountain biking,
scuba diving with elephants
in the Andaman and Nicobar
islands, snorkelling, sea
kayaking, camel safaris,
and multi-day river rafting
expeditions.
A fresh look for
Cresta Riley’s Hotel
CRESTA Riley’s Hotel,
perfectly situated on the
banks of the Thamakalane
River in Maun – Botswana’s
gateway to the Okavango
Delta and all its adventure
activities – caters for
leisure and business
travellers.
The hotel has just
completed a major
renovation, giving it a
contemporary look and
feel, while retaining its
African style.
Fifteen of the 51 rooms
and suites, all with
private balcony, have been
refurbished – the remainder
were renovated in 2010.
The two conference
rooms have also been
refreshed, and a newly built
gym is a popular addition
to the hotel’s amenities,
which include a 24-hour
reception service, Internet
access, swimming pool
and poolside bar,
restaurant and the
acclaimed Harry’s Bar.
“We’ve received
extremely positive feedback
from our guests, who have
all had wonderful things
to say about our new-look
bedrooms and the hotel’s
refreshed public spaces,”
said Jonathan Cox, group
operations manager.
Getting intimate with Réunion
THE Réunion Island Tourism
Board in partnership with Air
Austral and LUX* Resorts
whisked away 24 travel agents
recently on a Mascarun – an
exciting FAM trip filled with
quizzes, physical challenges
and lots of laughter.
The agents were split into
eight teams, each with its
own name and colour, who
then competed over four days
for the chance of a return trip
to Réunion Island to compete
in the global Mascarun
challenge. The travel agents
all got a chance to know
the island and its layout
intimately, as well as all the
activities available for visitors.
The challenges included
jam tasting, hiking, traditional
Maloya dancing, quizzes after
a visit to a vanilla plantation
and even creating a themed
cocktail.
Each challenge was scored
individually and added toward
the teams’ final scores.
With a close finish, the
winning team was announced
on the final day at a function
sponsored by Réunion Island
Tourism Board, Air Austral
and LUX* Resorts at the fivestar
LUX* Ile de la Réunion
hotel. The winning team of
Johnathan Hollard, Tamarin
Seymour and Jenna Berndt
will return to Réunion in 2015
to compete in the global
Mascarun against teams from
other competing countries.
