South Africa’s voice of inbound tourism, Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (SATSA) announced that it has entered into a joint partnership with Tanzania Local Tour Operators (TLTO).
The two parties signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) at World Travel Market Africa (WTM Africa) in Cape Town.
According to SATSA CEO, David Frost, the MOU was signed to formalise their partnership.
“WTM presented an ideal chance to finalise the MOU since SATSA and TLTO are crucial players in the African tourism industry. It was good to meet face-to-face and establish our partnership formally,” said Frost.
Frost also revealed that the MOU outlines the terms of collaboration between the two non-profit, member-driven associations that advocate for the interests of their members in different segments of the tourism industry.
Both SATSA and TLTO have common goals of promoting their respective regions as top tourist destinations and supporting their local economies.
According to TLTO Secretary General Ambrose Mtui, by partnering, SATSA and TLTO can leverage strengths to enhance the credibility and quality of services, benefiting both members and travellers.
“We will be working collaboratively towards promoting professionalism in the tourism industry and increasing the standards of service in the respective regions,” said Mtui.
The agreement comprises reciprocal membership to the respective associations, joint promotion of members and services, government and stakeholder lobbying, SME support and information, and mutual promotion of destinations.
The first outcome of the partnership will comprise an Online Business Exchange session in August 2023 where products for the two countries will have an opportunity to introduce themselves.
This will be followed by a hosted visit and stand opportunity for at least 10 South African products at Swahili International Tourism Expo (S!TE) between 5 and 9 October 2023.
“This is an exciting step forward for organisations working to promote tourism in two of Africa’s most sought-after destinations.
“It will help us strengthen the tourism offerings in both countries and support and open opportunities for our members,” said Frost.
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