SUSTAINABILITY AND SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL COMPETENCIES
In Wildreality Safari, five competencies are essential to follow in order to contribute to sustainability goals.
- WildRealiality Safari shall respect the human rights of all participants in safari activities
WildReality Safari can contribute to respect for human rights in many ways. WildReality Safari come into contact with many communities, families and individuals while carrying out their responsibilities and can set an example to participants and hosts alike by modeling respect for the rights of all humans engaged in adventure experiences.
- WildReality Safari shall abide by all local and international human rights guidelines.
Example: Indigenous Peoples and the Travel Industry: Global Good Practice Guidelines [6]
- Without placing themselves or guests in danger, WildReality Safari shall document and report to supervisors any illegal and unethical activity that breaches human rights in their areas of work including vendors and partners engaging in activities such as child labor, forced labor, human and sex trafficking and uncompensated or under-compensated labor.
Example: Child Welfare and the Travel Industry: Global Good Practice Guidelines[7]
- WildReality Safari shall minimize harmful impacts on biodiversity, ecosystems and the natural environment
Wildreality Safari activities often occurs in sensitive urban, rural and wilderness settings. WildReality Safari share responsibility for ensuring that adventure activities minimize harm to the landscapes, biodiversity and ecosystems where activities take place.
Pollution from unmanaged waste, over-tourism, habitat encroachment and damage to ecosystems and infrastructure are just a few examples of how WildReality Safari can contribute to harmful impacts on the environment.
- WildReality Safari shall be informed of and trained in locally or internationally recognized guidelines for minimizing harmful impacts on biodiversity, ecosystems and climate. Training must be geographically and culturally appropriate to the setting where WildReality Safari guiding and activities take place.
Example: The Leave No Trace Seven Principles from The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics [8] are international guiding principles for minimizing impacts in diverse rural and wilderness settings as well as in cultural heritage sites:
- Plan Ahead and Prepare
• Travel and Camp on Durable Ground - Dispose of Waste Properly
• Leave What You Find
• Minimize Campfire Impacts
• Respect Farm Animals & Wildlife
• Be Considerate of Others
- WildReality Safari shall be informed about the local indicators of climate change and the impacts of changes on ecosystems and communities as well as any increased risks the changes might cause to the safe and sustainable execution of adventure travel activities.
Example: Links between local on the ground impacts and wider issues,
(eg climate change [9]) should be understood and communicated to participants.
- WildReality Safari shall monitor participant and local host practices and provide positive recommendations when changes or improvements can be made.
Example: Research local destination and tourism board updates for the areas your tour will visit and be prepared to report issues and recommendations to authorities.
- WildReality Safari businesses and guides shall make every effort to eliminate single use plastic items from the experiences they deliver.
Example: Travelers Against Plastic [11] is an outreach initiative which aims to educate global participants about the harmful impacts of using disposable plastics and therefore encourage them to travel prepared.
- WildReality Safari shall protect animal welfare and report animal abuse
Animal welfare refers to the physical and mental state of an animal as regards its attempts to cope with its environment. Understanding the needs of animals and how tourism can impact on their welfare is key to identifying and managing the associated risk.
Animals, from butterflies to baboons and the great big five are a popular part of many adventure travel experiences and, when managed appropriately, can enhance the experience, improve education around biodiversity and aid conservation. However, studies have indicated that some activities can result in poor welfare of animals, threaten their survival and place people at risk. Furthermore, some cultural practices can pose severe animal welfare concerns, such as bullfighting and bull running and the trade and sale of dog and cat meat. [13]
The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) has produced the Animal Welfare Guidelines [14] that provide animal welfare guidance for the travel industry, including advice against certain “Unacceptable” practices, encouraging travel businesses to work with their suppliers to raise standards”. Similarly the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) has adopted wildlife interaction and animal welfare safeguards in the GSTC-Destinations Criteria.
In addition to maintaining high standards in animal welfare, ANIMONDIAL, the animal welfare in tourism specialist, advises the following safeguards:
Wildlife viewing:
- WildReality Safari shall adopt recognised standards for wildlife viewing.
- WildReality Safari shall maintain an appropriate distance between the animals and participants, with no contact with, or feeding of free-roaming animals in the wild.
Example: not feeding wild primates to increase viewing opportunity or handling wild caiman during jungle treks.
- WildReality Safari shall ensure neither they nor the participants box-in, provoke, or chase wild animals. The use of animal call-back recordings should be used sparingly, if at all, and never with endangered species.
- WildReality Safari shall monitor wildlife wellbeing and any signs of viewing-induced disturbance, reporting observed bad practice to the park ranger (or equivalent).
Example: encroaching on mother with offspring, splitting herd animals, heightened aggression, etc.
Captive and working animal protocol:
- WildReality Safari shall ensure any animal sanctuaries and rescue centres visited are not breeding, commercially trading or exploiting animals. Example: Use in hands-on activity or ‘selfies’, swim-with activity, etc.
- WildReality Safari shall ensure they and their participants do not engage in activities where animals are provoked, required to perform unnatural behaviour, abused, or killed for entertainment purposes.
Example: Used in circus-style performance or shows, ‘canned’ hunting, bull-running, etc.
- WildReality Safari shall report any observed abusive activity to their employers and/or to relevant national authorities.
- WildReality Safari shall ensure that loads should be equivalent to the animal’s size and ability and that riding behaviour is non-abusive, equipment is properly fit, and animals have regular rest periods.
- Respect local and international accords on illegal wildlife and cultural artifact trade and report violations
Illegal trafficking of people, wildlife and cultural artifacts is not only undermining many of the heritage sites and economies that tourism relies on, but also causes permanent cultural and ecological damage. Artefacts such as traditional carvings, textiles, pottery and antiques make attractive gifts, however they may be stolen, illegally excavated or looted. The impact is irreversible with countries and local people being denied their heritage and cultural identities.
While the motives and results of reporting and stopping illegal trade are clear, the travel and tourism sector can do more to help stop such practices. For example, research and reporting demonstrate that tourism can facilitate the purchase and trade of illegal wildlife products [19]. Furthermore, when unregulated, trafficked wildlife may carry zoonotic disease and is often linked to global pandemics, including SARS, Covid-19 and others.
WildReality Safari are often exposed to such illicit activities in the communities where they work by both host communities and participants themselves and can be unwilling or unknowing participants in the same. As stewards of human rights and the environment, WildReality Safari share a responsibility to report illegal trade and ensure that participants do not engage in such practices, either knowingly or unknowingly. All observed wildlife violations should be reported to Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA)
- WildReality Safari shall be familiar with local and international legislation and penalties for trafficking protected artifacts and biodiversity, including foods that may contain illegal products.
Example: Guides use resources such as the WWF Illegal Plant and Wildlife Trade website [22], and familiarise themselves with endemic plant species, local souvenirs, foods and their origins and ethics.
- WildReality Safari shall advise participants before buying or consuming something that is or may contribute to unsustainable exploitation and/or extinction or represents significant cultural loss.
Example: Live animals, coral and plants, taken from the wild, are often sold on to attractions, hotels, or even participants.
- WildReality Safari shall instruct participants to avoid taking plants or seeds found on trails and visited sites and to avoid taking pottery, lithic elements and flakes from archaeological sites.
Example: Guidelines for behaviour at sensitive sites are made available to participants, tour operators and guides before and at the time of the visit.
- WildReality Safari shall be familiar with the local and national authorities to whom illicit activities can be denounced.
Example: Attractions, accommodation providers or roadside stalls may trade in wildlife parts and products in souvenirs, decoration, clothing or jewellery etc
- WildReality Safari shall inform participants and partners on best practices for sustainable travel in Tanzania adventure destinations
WildReality Safari are participants’ closest contact during adventure activities, and it is the guide’s responsibility to adequately inform them of sustainability practices before, during and after their activities together. Furthermore, it is the responsibility of WildReality Safari to enforce such practices in the event that participants are not willing to do so, have forgotten or otherwise are not respecting the practices. Careful planning will provide a more enjoyable experience for sustainability conscious visitors without further compounding their impacts such as over-tourism and pollution.
- WildReality Safari shall be informed of the standard for practicing sustainable travel in all destinations where they carry out adventure travel activities. In the Mckinsey report [24], the World Travel and Tourism Council describe over tourism indicators as:
- Alienating local residents
• Overcrowded infrastructures
• Damage to nature / environment - Degraded tourist experiences
• Threats to culture and heritage
- WildReality Safari shall include standards for participating in sustainable adventure activities during briefings and during activity.
- WildReality Safari shall report unsustainable practices to supervisors and other guides and collaborate to identify opportunities for implementing more sustainable practices.
WildReality Safari’s Sustainability Standard is Adopted from the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA)
