Fair Trade Trademark for off-beat destination in South Africa

Soekershof Walkabout in Robertson in The Western Cape is the 17th
tourism business in South Africa with the Trademark of Fair Trade in
Tourism in South Africa (FTTSA) (http://www.fairtourismsa.org.za).
"This accreditation is for us the recognition that Soekershof Walkabout
is really committed to: fair wages, working conditions and operations,
ethical business practice, positive contribution to local economic
development, respect for human rights, culture and environment", says
CEO Herman van Bon.
The Fair Trade Trademark provides Soekershof Walkabout also with an
additional marketing tool into the 'responsible travel market'.

The mission of the FTTSA is to promote the concept and principles of
Fair Trade within the South African tourism industry, so that
communities and workers benefit and in turn the industry is more
sustainable.
The Trademark certification is only awarded following a stringent
vetting process including assessments on the spot and is the first in
the world to endorse fair and responsible tourism practice. It is only
awarded to tourism business that adhere to strict Fair Trade criteria.

Van Bon: "It is good to experience that we fulfill all those criteria.
In the past years we've worked hard for the collective benefit of
community based initiatives such as the emphasis we place on
communicating with our staff on an equal level, providing staff with
training which comply with National Qualification Standards and
encouringing the incredible wire art crafting endeavours of Messina
"Joey" Mussindo and other local artists"

"Me and my wife Yvonne arrived here six years ago", van Bon continues.
"In this relatively remote area nothing has changed in the past 12
years of democracy. Local people are still not allowed to look their
employer straight into the eyes. The first few years we had to battle
to get to know our staff and letting them experience that open
communication is possible as is taking own initiatives and own
responsibilities. We don't mind if somebody makes a mistake. That's how
one learns. Once this barrier was taken these 'human developments'
became easier but than it became almost 'a crime' when we started to
search for service providers who could educate our staff in
horticultural basics, hospitality and so on. Our staff has fully grown
up within a radius of 1 kilometre and except for regular shopping in
the village hardly of never went out of this area. Can you imagine what
happened when we started to take them out to the 'big city', other
botanical gardens and tourism related businesses".

Nowadays these human resource investments start to bear fruit. "With
FTTSA's global connections we can look forward to the possibility of
new markets. Already we notice an increase in the enquiries and
scoutings of American and European tour operators who deal with
'responsible travel destinations' which are committed towards a
responsible attitude regarding labour relations, environmental issues
and the like"

Recent accreditations of FTTSA's Trademark are, besides Soekershof
Walkabout, The Backpack in Cape Town and Grootbos Private Nature
Reserve in Stanfort.

....-...

About Soekershof Walkabout:

Going 'Off-beat'

For the broad-minded personalities always in search for the unusual
there is
Soekershof Walkabout in Klaas Voogds West between Robertson and Ashton.

'Weird but Passionate' hosts; great stories; a wealth of plantlife; the

worlds' largest hedge-maze; time-travel with Albert Einstein; a
stone-age
cinema; the New South African Handshake; philosophers garden and, of
course,
the highly acclaimed succulent gardens with more than 2400 different
species
from all over the world in the unprotected open air. Visitors can earn
a
memorable reward by fullfilling a quest in the Klaas Voogds Maze.

This Maze is not a Maze in the traditional perception that you have to
get
lost but is a reflection of life; walking from one story into another
which
are visualised by objects, as orientating points, towering above the
hedges.
However there are, as in life, also a few 'stories' you will have to
look
for. And ........ visitors are invited to make their own stories.

A visit to Soekershof is hard to describe for it is a very personal
experience as can be found out in the 'love-letter' section of the
Soekershof website (http://soekershof.com).

The own Soekershof nursery distinguishes itself from other (specialist)

nurseries by providing visitors with sufficient custumised cultivation
information. Sometimes even by refusing selling a plant if, distilled
from
the information provided by the client, it turns out that the
environmental
conditions (climate, location, etc.) are not suitable. From statistics,

f.e., it's known that 60 to 70 percent of the succulents including
cacti
sold in the Cape Town area die within months or will never prosper.

In short: The place where Klaas Voogds, James Bond and Albert Einstein
meet..........
And: everything you always wanted to know about sex .......... between
plants but never dared to ask.

A visit takes at least 1.5 to 2 hrs. Visitors are invited to bring
their own
picnic.

See website http://soekershof.com for precise road directions and 'What

visitors can expect'.

Soekershof Walkabout
Mazes and Botanical Gardens

One of SA's primary unusual destinations

Fair Trade in Tourism SA accredited - 2006

Klaas Voogds West, P.O. Box 291,
Robertson 6705, South Africa
Tel: +27 (0)23-6264134


http://soekershof.com