We hear from Andre du Toit, a consultant to tourism players across Africa, about his two exciting projects that aim to provide peace of mind to travellers and minimise liability risk. He discusses the SECURA traveller app, which aggregates emergency response services for security or medical incidents and the inbound travel insurance that includes access to Africa’s leading critical incident management service.
Andre also talks about the importance of resilience and collaboration in the tourism industry, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. This podcast is a must-listen for anyone interested in the future of African tourism and how technology can play a vital role in enhancing guest safety.
Andre is also working on an inbound travel insurance owned by South African tour operators that includes a buy-up option for cancellation for any reason. The product includes access to Africa’s leading critical incident management service, which sets it apart from other travel insurance products. While there is currently no product that insures against a pandemic from an operator’s perspective, travel insurance products that include cancellation for any reason are becoming more requested by travellers. Andre acknowledges the challenge of marketing and selling products that address safety and security concerns in Africa. Still, he believes in being honest with travellers and providing them with peace of mind through services like the SATSA supported SECURA traveler app.
The COVID-19 pandemic has taught the tourism industry the importance of resilience and the need to surround oneself with credible and trustworthy partners. It has also brought the industry together and forced it to take a step back to push forward with lasting changes in the future. People have realised how much their health, well-being, and mental health depend on travel, and tourism is here to stay and will be bigger and stronger than ever.
Tourism relies on partnerships and collaboration, and newcomers should build relationships and collaborate with individuals who have integrity and sustainability in mind. African governments need to understand the critical point of preserving wilderness landscapes across Africa, securing wilderness landscapes that work with communities to create healthy wildlife economies, and integrating wilderness safaris or other models to ensure biodiversity is at the centre of sustainable and regenerative practices around wilderness areas.
To learn more about the services Andre can assist your business with, please email andre@firstequity.co.za.
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