In this episode of the Sustainable Hospitality podcast, host Amy Wald interviews Liesel van Zyl from Go2Africa, a safari company based in Cape Town, South Africa. Liesel shares her journey into the world of safaris and conservation in Africa, and how
Go2Africa is making a difference by conducting safaris with a conservation mindset. She explains that the company aims to educate travelers about better ways to travel and expand their horizons.

Liesel also discusses the importance of having like-minded investors who want their investment to count and be part of a travel company that is doing things differently. She highlights the importance of staff awareness and engagement, supply chain management, and social projects in achieving their goals. Liesel also shares some of the unique experiences that Go2Africa offers to its clients, such as visiting local projects, getting involved in conservation efforts, and co-creating unique travel experiences based on the traveler's interests. She emphasizes the importance of asking how one's dollar can make a difference when traveling and choosing responsible companies to help solve some of the problems that Africa is faced with.

www.go2africa.com

Are you ready to be inspired? Tune in to hear Costas Christ talk about his 30-year journey of pioneering and developing the concept of Eco-tourism and sparked a global movement to transform the tourism industry which ultimately led to the idea of sustainable tourism. From a nature kid and a dream of being a park ranger to one of the most influential voices on sustainable tourism you will hear Costas talk about his on the groundwork he has laid to get travel right! He will get you thinking about what you are doing to protect your product, why turning off tourism would unleash a global conservation nightmare, and the 3 most important items you need to focus on to get your sustainability journey underway and build your credibility. 

Join us as Dr. Megan Morikawa, Iberostar’s Global Sustainability Director, shares her journey from academic research to leading sustainability initiatives in the hospitality sector. Discover how Iberostar, a century-old, family-owned Spanish multinational company, is setting the standard for responsible tourism with its forward-thinking business practices. Learn about their ambitious goals for zero waste by 2025, carbon neutrality by 2030, 100% responsible seafood consumption by 2025, and the ongoing efforts to enhance the ecosystems around their properties. Dr. Morikawa also provides practical advice for any hospitality entity embarking on a sustainability journey, emphasizing the importance of crafting a unique and authentic approach. Dive deeper into their 'Wave of Change' movement and be inspired to make a difference.

https://www.unwto.org/sustainable-development/global-tourism-plastics-initiative

https://sciencebasedtargets.org/

In this episode we talk with Ken Daugherty, a veteran hospitality professional, on preventing food waste where it begins - production.

Now more than every EV charging stations should be part of your sustainability strategy. Listen in, while Cory Miller, CEO of PlugOp Technologies, a software development company for operating systems of charging stations in multi-family shared parking applications and EV Charging Specialist at Heartland Charging Services gives us valuable insights on all of the considerations that must go into planning for installation in order to take advantage of all of the benefits they can bring to your guests, and your bottom line. 

James is an award-winning serial entrepreneur and writer. He is both Co-Founder and Director of Solar Head of State, and CEO at Island Innovation. Recognized on the Forbes 30 under 30 list for his work on sustainable energy, James is passionate about climate change advocacy and environmental policy. 

James will enlighten us on the race to develop sustainably and help island nations reach self-sufficiency at a lower cost. This all comes with the reality that sustainability is a journey.  He talks about the importance of waste management, education, and how to implement plastic bag bans. He will also challenge us to think about who really pays for the damage of climate change. Don’t miss this incredibly informative and impactful conversation with one of the world’s brightest and youngest leaders on these topics!

Global Sustainable Island Summit

Island Innovation

Island Finance Forum

Virtual Island Summit

Island Voices @ Cop29 

Palau Pledge

The Travel Foundation's Jeremy Sampson talks about the necessary transformations in an industry traditionally rooted in "business as usual" practices. Discover how sustainability can be embraced through a systems-based approach, learn valuable lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic, and explore the risks of stagnation versus the benefits of viewing challenges as opportunities. Additionally, Jeremy shares actionable, cost-effective strategies for implementing sustainable solutions using behavior changes strategies into your organization.

The Travel Foundation

The Future of Tourism  

The Glasgow Declaration

The Invisible Burden 

Envisioning 2030

Prepare for an insightful journey with our guest Jeremy Sampson. We delve into the necessary transformations in an industry traditionally rooted in "business as usual" practices. Discover how sustainability can be embraced through a systems-based approach, learn valuable lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic, and explore the risks of stagnation versus the benefits of viewing challenges as opportunities. Additionally, Jeremy shares actionable, cost-effective strategies for implementing sustainable solutions using behavior changes strategies into your organization”

 The Travel Foundation

The Future of Tourism  

The Glasgow Declaration

The Invisible Burden 

Envisioning 2030

In a time when eco-aware travelers are becoming adept at discerning genuine sustainability efforts from greenwashing, the pressure is on for hotels to not only enhance their environmental practices, but to validate and communicate their progress effectively. This is where platforms like Booking.com, Google, and Expedia are stepping up, offering new tools to highlight authentically sustainable accommodations. Against this backdrop, we sit down with Frederik Steensgaard, the CEO and Co-founder of BeCause, who is at the forefront of this transformation. 

In our chat, Frederik unveils his personal and professional journey towards sustainability and explains how BeCause is innovating the way hotels can manage and showcase their sustainable practices, ultimately connecting with the growing demographic of environmentally conscious guests. Join us to discover how sustainability and business can go hand in hand, and learn how your hospitality service can become a beacon of eco-friendly operations.

In this episode we talk to Daniel Turner biologist and Co-Founder of Animondial. Daniel is leading the way when it comes to helping to bring back nature and create “Nature Positive Tourism”, tune in to find out how you can implement these strategies and single handedly increase the biodiversity surrounding your organization and community. With statistics such as “Travel & Tourism is one of only six economic sectors with more than 80% of the value of its goods and services highly dependent on nature”, Daniel will inspire you to find out where your business depends on nature, and what impacts on nature are associated with your operations. He will tell us what the 5 drivers of biodiversity loss are and nature related risks that as a tourism and hospitality business must pay attention to stay relevant and resilient in today’s changing climate. 

Animondial

Tourism Cares

Global Biodiversity Frameworks

Nature Positive Travel & Tourism Report 

Adventure Travel Trade Association