Impact Assessment South Africa 2025

Tourism Impact Assessment in South Africa
Consultations on Social Impacts in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Greater Kruger Areas.

The project applies a multi-stakeholder approach, involving tour operators, civil society organisations and various stakeholders. It focuses on assessing human rights risks in travel products and is aligned with the principles of the German Supply Chain Act. 
The findings will be translated into practical recommendations for tourism businesses, ensuring that the benefits extend throughout the sector. 
On-site consultations took place in mid-January, with fithe rst results to be presented at ITB 2025.

The assessment 

• focusses a tourism supply chain of mid-range group tourism products in the crucial South African tourism hubs Cape Town, Johannesburg, and the Greater Kruger areas.
• applies a multi-stakeholder approach
• follows an internationally acknowledged methodology
• is taking into account risk topics named in the German Supply Chain Act (LkSG)
• builds on the Roundtable's detailed blueprint tool, including methodology, various templates, and procedures for (SME) tourism businesses

In particular, the project aims at

• facilitating access to sector-specific information on human rights issues for tour operators on a classical tourism route in South Africa;
• providing support to tour operators for the identification and prioritization of risk areas within their own business;
• guiding tour operators in taking concrete measures to address human rights risks and implement due diligence strategies in a targeted and pragmatic manner;
• defining appropriate mitigating actions (also with regard to LkSG)
• fostering partnership with local key stakeholders, including employees, suppliers, NGOs and other businesses and organisations.
   

Project process:

• Aug - Oct 2024: 
  Concept note development, decision of destination, discussions with members and partners
• Oct - Dec 2024: 
  Formation of core group and local facilitation partners, human rights scoping, finalisation of project funding
• Jan 2025: 
  Planning of consultations and itinerary. On-site assessment: January 19–29, 2025.
• Feb - Mar 2025: 
  The results were clustered and analysed.
• April - May 2025: 
  Writing of online report with practical recommendations and measures for tourism stakeholders on different levels. Measures are discussed and decided with the project team. 
  The report will be published by mid of 2025.  

The project is driven by committed core project partners, who lead the preparations and on-site assessment in collaboration with the Roundtable coordination office. 
Local facilitation support is provided by Fair Trade Tourism, leveraging its strong ties to South African communities to ensure a context-sensitive and effective approach. 
Various further supporters from the tourism sector contribute financially and through in-kind services.

Core project partners:

• Brot für die Welt -  Tourism Watch
• DERTOUR Group
• Kneissl Touristik GmbH
• Studiosus Reisen München GmbH

Local facilitation partner:

• Fair Trade Tourism in South Africa

Supporters:

• AER Kooperation AG
• African Kombi Tours
• ECPAT Deutschland e.V.
• erlebe-fernreisen GmbH
• forum anders reisen e.V.
• Green Tiger Travel
• SKR Reisen GmbH
• Socialbnb
• Studienkreis für Tourismus und Entwicklung e.V.
• Ventura TRAVEL GmbH
• VSocial Foundation e.V.
• WomenFairTravel

Scope of the assessment

• On-site assessment from 19-29 January 2025
• Focus on risks / social impacts in mid-range group tours
• "Classical Route" :
  • South: Cape Town, Western Cape, Winelands (Stellenbosch area)
  • North: Johannesburg, Soweto, Blyde River Canyon, Greater Kruger Park Area (Hazyview and Hoedspruit areas)

Stakeholder Consultations 

• 8 online pre-consultations with various experts, institutions and organisations (e.g., ILO, South African Human Rights Commission, Jellybeanz, Goodwork Foundation...)
• 2 focus group discussions (Cape Town and Johannesburg)
• 31 consultations on-site with >80 stakeholders
  • Destination Management Companies (DMCs)
  • Accomodations
  • Activity Providers
  • Transport Providers
  • Associations
• Visits to tourism related projects, good practice examples and organisations

This report summarises the key findings and gives practical recommendations. 
For each of the defined key issue areas the core group, consulted stakeholders and local facilitation partner discussed and elaborated effective risk mitigation measures that are described in the report. 
These measures target different levels, from individual actions at tour operator level to joint projects, exchange formats with local partners and institutions to activities of local stakeholders. The selection of measures takes into account the severity of the risk (scale and scope of risk for rightsholders) and ability to influence (leverage) of tour operators and tourism businesses.

Tourism Training Repository South Africa

Making tourism learning resources accessible for everyone

As a direct follow-up to the Tourism Impact Assessment, the Roundtable Human Rights in Tourism contracted their local facilitation partner, Fair Trade Tourism (FTT), to develop a free, open-source digital learning repository for the South African tourism sector.
The aim was to make existing practical resources on human rights, sustainability, and responsible tourism more visible and accessible.
The repository brings together a wide range of existing materials — including online courses, webinars, training offers, toolkits, and guidelines — many of which were previously scattered across different institutions and organisations. 

The Repository is now live and freely accessible online via Fair Trade Tourism

Lunch & Learn: Tourism Impact Assessment South Africa - Findings, Measures, and Opportunities for Engagement 

Tuesday, 26 June, 11.00 - 12.00 pm CET

Watch this engaging webinar on human rights and the social impacts of tourism in South Africa. The session presents key outcomes from a recent impact assessment led by the Roundtable Human Rights in Tourism, in partnership with Brot für die Welt – Tourism Watch, DERTOUR Group, Studiosus, Kneissl Touristik, and Fair Trade Tourism.

The project focused on mid-range group travel in Cape Town, Johannesburg, and the Greater Kruger area. Speakers will highlight findings, follow-up measures, and how tourism businesses can engage for positive change. The online report with practical recommendations was also introduced.

Human Rights in Tourism: Insights from the South Africa Impact Assessment
A webinar with Roundtable Human Rights in Tourism. Hosted by SATSA, Africa's Eden & Fair Trade Tourism.
Wednesday, 22 October 2025 at 12:00 - 01:00 PM, SAT (also CEST)
 

In this engaging online session, the organisers presented and discussed the findings of the Report, building on the Tourism Impact Assessment South Africa. The webinar highlighted key human rights challenges, lessons learned, and opportunities for action across the tourism sector.

The Roundtable Human Rights in Tourism is honoured to have contributed as a speaker, sharing perspectives on the assessment process and its implications for responsible tourism practices.

During the webinar, participants:

- Learned about the Tourism Impact Assessment process and results,

- Gained insights from the Report,

- Explored opportunities for action in tourism supply chains,

- Got first peak view into the newly launched repository.

 Why watch?
This session is relevant for all tourism stakeholders committed to responsible and fair practices within South Africa. It offers concrete insights, practical takeaways, tools and resources.

Fair working conditions don’t begin in the vehicle or in the lodge — they start in the planning. 
This 4-hours online workshop explored with almost 60 participants from South Africa, and further African as well as European countries, how itinerary design directly impacts the daily working lives of South African tour guides, drivers, and rangers – and what transport companies, DMCs, and (international) tour operators can do to support fair and sustainable working conditions. 

The session was organised by the Roundtable Human Rights in Tourism in collaboration with Fair Trade Tourism and SATSA as a follow-up to our recent Tourism Impact Assessment in South Africa and the development of a report outlining key challenges and potential measures. Our aim was to work collaboratively with South African partners to identify approaches that are relevant, feasible, and firmly rooted in local realities. 

Tight schedules, long working hours, and unrealistic planning affect staff well-being and service quality. At the same time, each role in the tourism value chain operates under different conditions and expectations. Understanding these differences is essential for designing itineraries that are both fair and feasible. This workshop offered a moderated, participatory space to:

• share experiences and challenges across different roles
• explore each other’s operational realities and limitations
• discuss what “fair working conditions” mean in day-to-day itinerary planning
• develop practical, applicable improvements

Workshop Overview:

• Welcome & introduction
• Overview of the "Tourism Impact Assessment South Africa"
  by the Roundtable Human Rights in Tourism
• Local perspectives & lived experiences
  Insights and testimonies from South African tourism stakeholders — with a dedicated focus on hearing from affected stakeholders and those directly impacted by tourism developments
• Interactive stakeholder-group discussions
  Collaborative exploration of challenges, needs, and opportunities
• Sharing key findings in the plenary
• Joint development of practical ideas
  Co-creating approaches that reflect local realities and priorities
• Closing & next steps

Find a press release from Fair Trade Tourism about the workshop here

Contracts are crucial for managing risk and relationships by clearly stipulating responsibility. They are also key in ensuring a just transition and fair working conditions in South Africa’s tourism industry.

As regulatory expectations increase globally around sustainability, South African tourism businesses are navigating real-world trade-offs every day. Energy transition, staff wellbeing, and community impact are often pursued within tight margins and rigid contracting frameworks. Understanding how these decisions land on the ground is essential if we want supply chains that are fair, viable, and built to last.

On 18 February 2026, the Roundtable Human Rights in Tourism, in collaboration with Fair Trade Tourism and the Southern Africa Tourism Services Association, brought together 67 European tour operators and South Africa’s tourism stakeholders for another conversation around sustainability in the industry. The webinar offered practical insights into responsible contracting processes — where risk sits, where flexibility exists, and where small shifts in pricing, payment terms, or expectations could materially support fair labour practices and a just transition on the ground.

Welcome & Introduction
Grace Stead, Fair Trade Tourism Managing Director

Setting the Scene
Katharina Stechl, Roundtable Human Rights in Tourism Program Manager

Shift the Deal
Adv. Louis Nel, Louis the Lawyer

Local Perspectives & Lived Experience
Cheryl Blackburn, Three Tree Hill (FTT-Certified) Co-Owner

Next Steps: Q&A
Grace Stead, Fair Trade Tourism Managing Director,

We presented the project and first findings during ITB 2025 with a panel discussion "A Collaborative Tourism Impact Assessment in South Africa – Recommendations and Practice-Oriented Learnings for Tourism Businesses" 

This session presented the first findings from the "Tourism Impact Assessment South Africa", a collaborative project conducted in Cape Town, Johannesburg, and the Greater Kruger area. Led by the Roundtable Human Rights in Tourism and industry partners, the assessment examined human rights risks in mid-range group tourism products and offers practical recommendations. The project is aligned with the German Supply Chain Act.

Speaker:
Alien Spiller, Policy Advisor Tourism and Development - Bread for the World - Tourism Watch
Laura Steden, Director Corporate Responsibility - DERTOUR Group
Tony Reyhanloo, Head of Corporate Responsibility - Studiosus

Moderation: 
Katharina Stechl, Program Manager - Roundtable Human Rights in Tourism