Fair Trade Tourism (FTT) has signed a paramount partnership agreement with Travelife, the globe’s biggest sustainability certification scheme for tour operators.

The agreement sees the two organisations combine forces to offer sustainability training and certification for tour operators throughout Southern Africa, and will enable them to become part of the world’s largest network of sustainability certified operators.

The Travelife programme for tour operators is managed by the European Centre for Eco and Agro Tourism (ECEAT), a non-profit organisation based in The Netherlands, offering sustainability training and certification to help tour operators implement positive change in their businesses and supply chains. The partnership agreement will see FTT become the exclusive implementing partner for Travelife in Southern Africa, with all FTT-approved tour operators offered free Travelife membership until 2020.

FTT and Travelife will offer Southern African tour operators sustainability training in all aspects of their businesses, from office operations to product development, working with suppliers, educating clients and promoting sustainable destinations. Besides FTT-approved tour operators being given free Travelife membership, they will also have the opportunity to progress to Travelife Partner, which demonstrates progress along the sustainability path, or Travelife Certified, which signifies global best practice in sustainability. They will also be incorporated into the Travelife online platform, which is accessed by major global outbound operators interested in promoting sustainability in their supply chains.

FTT MD, Jane Edge, said the Travelife agreement represented a major move forward for FTT in achieving global impact. “According to a recent survey we conducted, 72% of FTT-approved tour operators are seeing a growing demand for responsible tourism. We needed to take FTT to the next level and Travelife was a natural partner to engage with. Travelife offers superb sustainability training and a certification scheme that is accredited by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council. We are privileged to be partnering with them to implement this in Southern Africa.”

ECEAT MD, Naut Kusters, explained that partnering with FTT, Africa’s leading responsible tourism organisation, would enable Travelife to gain significant traction on the continent. “Together with the European Union-funded Green Tour programme that we are currently implementing in Kenya, we see the FTT partnership as an opportunity to help Africa’s businesses significantly enhance their sustainability practices and to increase the number of sustainable travellers to the continent.”

For more information on FTT and Travelife’s partnership and sustainability programme, email: shona@fairtrade.travel or info@travelife.info.