SOUTHERN AFRICAN COLLEGE FOR TOURISM
Africa currently accounts for 4% of the global tourism market, but with such a wealth of natural diversity and culture, there is incredible room to expand and capitalize on the continent's unique offerings.
Developing a tourism industry staffed by professionals involves setting up opportunities for tourists to come and see Africa's natural wonders and training staff to cater to those visitors. This is the aim of the Peace Parks Foundation and the SA College for Tourism.
The SA College for Tourism in Graaff-Reinet was established by Dr Anton Rupert's Family Foundation, in partnership with international agencies and public donors under the auspices of Peace Parks Foundation in 2001. It is the first training centre in Southern Africa that is primarily concerned with operational and management skills training for the lodge and guesthouse industry, and today sponsors 90 women annually for a year long training course. 
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Through the SA College for Tourism, the young women - all from mostly rural backgrounds - are being given the opportunity to learn all the skills needed to work at lodges and guesthouses or become small business entrepreneurs who will be able to establish their own tourism business, and benefit from the conservation of Africa's natural heritage.
On of the anticipated outcomes for the successful establishment of a peace parks is that ecotourism will provide an economically sustainable livelihood to the people living in and adjacent to the parks. It is hoped the women trained at the SA College for Tourism will go back to their villages and towns around the peace parks and work in the lodges or establish businesses themselves, helping to attract tourists to the area and maintain high standards of service delivery.
The women all come from very different backgrounds but recognize the opportunity they have been given and are keen to take their newfound skills out into the emerging tourism market.
If you would like to know more about the SA College for Tourism please contact Andre Kilian, Executive Director, on +27 (0) 498922244.
If you would like to donate to the SA College for Tourism please contact Prof Willem van Riet on +27 (0)21 887 6188