The challenge of Inclusive Tourism in a Divided Society

Calabash Tours 2015

What is Calabash?

• It is a Social Enterprise consisting of a tour company, and an NGO called Calabash Trust. It is a micro enterprise.

• It creates tourism routes and experiences that include marginalised communities.

• Focus on day tours, short cultural routes in the Eastern Cape.• Volunteer Programmes for individuals, schools from abroad, and academic

institutions seeking “service learning” experiences.• Uses Travellers Philanthropy as a method of creating opportunity to

engage in community development initiatives.• We operate of an Asset based approach, as opposed to a “needs based”

approach. Thus harnessing existing community assets.• Create awareness around the different kinds of poverty – poverty of mind,

poverty of spirit, poverty of pocket. Creates a more inclusive understanding of community dynamics and strengths.

• Most tourists engage with disadvantaged communities on a basis of poverty of pocket only.

Calabash Tours 2015

Economic Inclusion

• Since 1997 the purpose of Calabash Tours has been to deliver greater economic inclusion for marginalised communities.

• This has been done through ensuring every tour includes services from small enterprises from within informal economy.

• This includes simple things like meals, cultural performers, craft.

• It requires on-going outreach and training and development for these service providers who often exist outside the mainstream tourism realm.

• Requires a good understanding of Fair Share, to ensure relationships are equitable.

• Fairly easy to monitor, as impact can be measured on the basis of payments made to these providers.

• Currently 30% of annual turnover is paid out to these small businesses.

• Cultural performers entertaining in a local tavern

Calabash Tours 2015

Economic and Social Inclusion through Development initiatives

• Our Volunteer and NGO work focuses on creating biodiversity and sustainable livelihoods through permaculture methods

• Includes education and training of parents at schools as well as learners.

• We use (highly skilled – often retired professionals) volunteers to build capacity in our teachers in schools we support.

• All our efforts are to create a greater self reliance – both for schools and individuals.

• In the last 2 years we have invested R 1 million in permaculture design, water harvesting, water tanks, training, and community resource development.

• We have invested more than R500 000 in the development of sport facilities in township schools.

• We have channelled thousands of hours of skilled volunteers work in HIV community based care, and in teacher development.

• All these opportunities come through tourism and tourism partnerships.

Calabash Tours 2015

What are the Risks?

• Biggest Risk in terms of including small township enterprises is that they become dependant, and are sometimes unable to weather the ups and downs of tourism.

• Risk of dependency is a challenge for any NGO – but this is mitigated through our asset based approach.

• Volunteer programmes are filled with potential negative impacts, so child protection policies, thorough orientation programmes and volunteer screening are required. This is often interpreted as being “counter commercial” by the tourism sector selling these volunteer programmes. This creates a very real challenge for growth.

• Communities can be easily divided in the competition over resources that Calabash Tours and Trust leverage.

• There is no other option but to confront these challenges. The other option is to do nothing – which is not an option for us.

Calabash Tours 2015

Conclusion: A divided Society?

• Social exclusion and Economic exclusion is being felt by many South Africans. Hence our current debate and action around Heritage and Statues.

• Tourism is not immune to this debate.• Most National Tour Guides are white – how

does this affect the information being shared (we know from voting patterns very few white people support the ruling party)

• Is the way we are selling South Africa currently promoting inclusivity? Or are we continuing stereotyping?

• Are we as an industry understanding the impact of the questions around heritage may be having?

• These Big questions cannot be resolved by small operators like Calabash, but require leadership from Government and the private sector. We cannot ignore the failures of the last 20 years in terms of industry transformation, and on-going feeling and experiences of exclusion.

Calabash Tours 2015