Essence of Africa Day 2: Tourism leaders call for shift from 'giving back' to true community partnership

Tourism industry leaders on day 2 of Essence of Africa called for a fundamental shift in how the sector engages with local communities, urging a move away from traditional corporate social responsibility models toward genuine economic partnership.

Moderated by Jan Hutton, Business Transformation Advisor and CEO of the Australian Tourism Data Warehouse, a powerful panel discussion on “Building Sustainable Tourism Businesses for Africa and with Africa”, featured prominent industry figures who highlighted the need to move beyond traditional "giving back" models toward true partnership with local communities.

"We need to stop talking about giving back to communities – these are people watching over our parks, our wildlife. Why don't we change it and work together as stakeholders?" challenged Mohammed Hersi, currently Group Director of Operations at Pollmans Tours & Safaris.

Mohanjeet Brar, Managing Director of Game Watchers Safaris and Porini Camps, emphasised that "there is no conservation without communities," noting that in Kenya, 60-70% of wildlife exists outside national parks on community lands.

The discussion revealed innovative approaches to community engagement, including direct payment models for biodiversity conservation and the integration of traditional livestock farming with wildlife tourism. Success stories of community partnerships were shared, including greenhouse initiatives and beekeeping projects that serve both conservation and economic development goals.

Amos Wekesa, Chief Executive Officer Great Lakes Safaris, drawing on his 17 years of experience in tourism advocacy, presented compelling data on tourism's multiplier effect across African economies. He demonstrated how tourism can transform traditional agricultural products like coffee into high-value offerings, creating employment and driving economic growth across multiple sectors.

Climate change emerged as a critical concern, with panellists addressing the increasing frequency of extreme weather events and their impact on both tourism operations and local communities. The discussion highlighted the urgent need for collaborative action between the private sector, communities, and governments to address environmental challenges.

On the show floor, the day saw a bustling schedule of 15 B2B meetings, with buyers and exhibitors engaging in productive discussions about future partnerships.