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Dreamcatcher now Fairtrade!
Gerla Pusey-de Boer :
Africa Inside Out
COMMUNITY FOCUSED TRAVEL ROUTE DEVELOPER DREAMCATCHER NOW FAIR TRADE IN TOURISM CERTIFIED
Dreamcatcher, which arranges community based visitor tours and programmes, today proudly
announces that the organization is now Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa (FTTSA) certified.
Previous accolades have included Dreamcatcher being nominated in March 2005 by World
Travel & Tourism Organisation (WTTO), as one of the Top 3 Organisations in the World in the
Category “Investment in People”. Dreamcatcher was also joint winner in the Western Cape
Province for the Proudly South African Award in 2003.
Dreamcatcher is headquartered for Administration in Crawford, Cape Town and for development
at Melkhoutfontein near Stilbaai in the Southern Cape, South Africa where staff dedicate their
efforts and passion to make a difference to creatively develop alternatives to the mainstream
tourist experiences, travel route –and micro tourism business development with the many
women they have empowered. The Dreamcatcher Foundation of South Africa, constitutes an
appropriate legal body in the form of a development trust, to facilitate and promote the
economic, educational and environmental awareness growth within the communities. It is here
where the founder was given the moniker “Dreamcatcher”, by the patriarch, Moses Kleinhans.
FTTSA certification, for its part, is an independent endorsement of fair and responsible tourism
practice in South Africa. It is based on adherence to specific criteria, including fair wages and
working conditions, fair distribution of benefits, ethical business practice, and respect for human
rights, culture and the environment. Certification is offered on a voluntary basis to providers of
tourist accommodation, activities and attractions.
Dreamcatcher Founder, Anthea Rossouw, comments thus: “25 years ago, we were the leaders.
The first to break the mould. To advocate and actively pursue the development of authentic
Community based and lifestyle tourism. To connect the visitor to the people of our land, and in
so doing, change lives in the communities, for the good, sustainably. When we started out all
those years ago, it was our dream that one day, though most could not see it then, to be put to
the test by the communities, visitors and revered, world class organisations such as Fair Trade
in Tourism South Africa, to be assessed and recognised in terms of what we actually do. Today
Dreamcatcher has come of age, as the ever growing numbers of tourists who want more than a
bus window experience, contact us to enhance their travels around South Africa, supporting a
unique product, legally branded product, recognised for professionalism and fair trade practice.
We relish the years behind us, and reach out to the tourism industry, to celebrate a future of
being host to tourists from around the world, who want a true taste of reality at grassroots level.
We offer an authentic experience of a product or route, which would put high value on the need
for benefits to accrue at local level tangibly. We have successfully implemented Fair Trade in
tourism on one of the most visited travel routes in South Africa, namely the Cape wine lands.
We call this tour: A Taste of Reality with Dreamcatcher: The Alternative Winelands tour. This is
a special spot, where it is indeed possible to have an authentic lifestyle and involved intra-
Cultural tourism visitor experience. We are very proud and look forward to any initiative to work
with FTTSA.”
E N D S
more on http://www.africainsideout.com/press.php
Contact: gerla pusey-deboer
T: 01223370107
E: gerla@africainsideout.com
W: www.africainsideout.com
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