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Africa’s Baobab Certification Program assesses nature tourism products including tours, attractions and accommodation.

It provides travelers and authorities with an assurance that a certified product is backed by a commitment to ecological sustainability, responsible natural resource management and the provision of quality nature tourism experiences.

When a venue displays the Baobab logo, it signifies tourism in a natural area that leaves minimal impact on the environment, offers ways to learn, uses resources wisely and contributes to the conservation of the natural environment.

The Baobab Certification Program is designed around the following key principles:

- Conservation policy & legal compliance
- Ecologically compatible infrastructure
- Ecologically responsible practice
- Contributing to conservation
- Interpretation & education
- Benefiting local communities
- Cultural considerations
- Customer satisfaction
- Responsible marketing
- Nature tourism best practices

eco awards Namibia is a Namibian based programme that certifies accommodation establishments which are planned and managed according to eco-friendly principles.

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eco awards Namibia was established in 2004 and certifies accommodation establishments which are planned and managed according to eco-friendly principles. Focusing particularly on the environment, assessment criteria include: conservation, water management, waste management and sewerage disposal, energy management, suitable and appropriate construction and landscaping, guiding, staff development and social responsibility and human welfare. Establishments are awarded up to “5 flowers” (based on Namibia’s Desert Flower).

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Ecotourism Kenya

Ecotourism Kenya is a civil society organisation which promotes ecotourism and sustainable tourism practices in Kenya through bringing together individuals, community based organisations and corporate organisations in a knowledge sharing forum.

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Ecotourism Kenya is a civil society organisation that was founded in 1996 to promote ecotourism and sustainable tourism practices in Kenya. Founded with enormous industry support, the society was charged with the responsibility of providing the required support for the development of ecotourism and sustainable tourism in the country.

Today, the society continues to pursue the vision of making Kenya’s tourism sustainable, in terms of concern for the environment and the welfare of local populations. As a membership organisation, Ecotourism Kenya brings together individuals, community based organisations (CBOs) and corporate organisations in a forum where they can discuss the concept of ecotourism and use this knowledge to improve practices in their respective fields.

Among many other activities, Ecotourism Kenya runs the Eco-rating Scheme, a voluntary certification system for tourism accommodation facilities in East Africa, and manages the Eco-warrior Award (an annual award that recognises outstanding contributions to the promotion of sustainable tourism in any of the East African countries by tour operators, accommodation providers, community groups and individuals).

Vision: To be a leader in the knowledge and practice of ecotourism

Mission: To effectively link communities, tourism and conservation for sustainable tourism development

Goal: To promote tourism practices that will conserve Kenya’s natural environment and improve livelihoods of associated communities.

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Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa

FTTSA is a South African based non-profit organisation that promotes sustainable tourism development through awareness raising, research and advocacy, capacity building and by facilitating the world’s first tourism Fair Trade certification programme.

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FTTSA is a non-profit organization that promotes sustainable tourism development. This is achieved through awareness raising, research and advocacy, capacity building and by facilitating the world’s first tourism Fair Trade certification programme.

FTTSA awards the use of special label to qualifying businesses as a way of signifying their commitment to Fair Trade criteria including fair wages and working conditions, fair purchasing, equitable distribution of benefits and respect for human rights, culture and environment. Assessment criteria include: legal compliance, HR and labour policies, skills development, community investment, environmental performance and HIV/Aids policy.

By electing to stay at or use the services of an FTTSA-certified establishment, tourists are assured that their travel benefits local communities and economies, and that the business is operated ethically and in a socially and environmentally responsible manner.

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Green Label Madagascar

Green-Label Madagascar is the only sustainable tourism and ecotourism labelling initiative in Madagascar that certifies tourism products.

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Green-Label Madagascar, the only labelling initiative in Madagascar, certifies tourism products based on the following criteria:
- Existence of a sustainable policy
- Sustainability awareness raising
- Environmental management
- Water management
- Waste management
- Energy management
- Socio-economic contributions

The development of this labeling initiative will hopefully serve to reduce the prevalence of greenwashing and protect Madagascar’s invaluable environment.

Green Stay SA

GreenStaySA is a South African based information resource that supports the move towards improved environmental performance for the accommodation sector.

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GreenStaySA is an information resource that supports the move towards improved environmental performance for the accommodation sector. It provides guidance and support to facilities who wish to improve their environmental footprint and operate in an environmentally responsible manner.

GreenStaySA evolved from increasing pressure on the tourism industry and other industry sectors to reduce our environmental footprint. It is now time for the tourism industry to adopt environmental practices that can be monitored, measured and improved upon year after year.

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The Heritage Environmental Certification Program

The Heritage Environmental Management Company is a private company that was started in 2001 to address the environmental certification needs of the tourism and hospitality industry of southern Africa. Heritage recognises and identifies environmentally responsible companies and products. The Heritage programme measures management systems, communication & marketing of environmental policies, resource management and community involvement. Qualifying establishments are awarded “silver”, “gold” or “platinum” certification, depending on their ongoing environmental performance. This programme is currently being applied in  Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland and Zambia. Heritage is a strategic partner of Green Globe International, and now offers environmental certification services across sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands in conjunction with the world’s leading tourism-based environmental certification brand.

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Green and Ecotourism Certification Program Botswana

This comprehensive certification program addresses 258 standards and addresses all tourism services and facilities in the country.

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The Botswana Tourism Board (BTB) recently completed what is generally considered one of the most comprehensive eco-certification programmes yet developed. Consisting of 258 standards, the programme addresses all tourism services and facilities in the country, from city hotels to safari lodges to ecotours/mobile safaris and ecotourism facilities. The standards are based on the following categories: environmental management, cultural and natural resource protection, community and socio economic-development, fair trade practices, carbon reduction and ecotourism criteria.

Standards are distributed across three tiers, including ‘Green’, ‘Green+’ and ‘Ecotourism’ levels. This differs from other programs that tend to be either just ‘Green’ or ‘Ecotourism’ based. The standards and certifying process were subsequently refined when field tested at 12 different urban, rural and wilderness tourism facilities.

An Auditors Manual has been produced, which, along with an intensive training program for auditors, ensures the continued smooth running of the certification programme.

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South Luangwa Environmental Awards, Zambia

This is an awards programme which aims to promote responsible tourism practices in Zambia through environmentally sustainable and “eco-friendly” practices.

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In January 2009, the South Luangwa Conservation Society launched an awards programme to promote responsible tourism practices in Zambia. The South Luangwa Eco Awards encourages tourism businesses to operate in an environmentally sustainable, “eco-friendly” way. Ultimately, the goal is to raise operating standards and promote environmental conservation efforts in the area.

The awards emphasise the sustainable use of resources, protection of the environment and support to local communities and social responsibility and are specific to the South Luangwa/Zambian conditions. Specifically, the award scheme focuses on best practice including, but not limited to:

- Protecting, conserving and investing in the environment;
- Minimising and reducing wastes;
- Preventing pollution;
- Encouraging linkages with local communities and supporting community projects;
- Responsible use of natural resources such as land, water, energy, timber, firewood, etc.;
- Providing direct financial benefits for conservation projects; and
- Educating tourists, staff and the local community.

Successful applicants are awarded a Bronze, Silver or Gold certificate depending on the outcome of their application. To apply, a fee of USD 100 is required. The scheme is non-profit, therefore the fees are used to cover expenses and any surplus at the end of the year is used for anti-poaching patrols in the South Luangwa area (South Luangwa Conservation Society, 2009).

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Green Star Hotel, Egypt

The Green Star Hotel Initiative was set up to cultivate Egyptian tourism as an environmentally friendly industry. As the first such initiative it has developed a country-specific label for hotels and resorts.

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The Green Star Hotel Initiative was set up to cultivate Egyptian tourism as an environmentally friendly industry. As the first such initiative it has developed a country-specific label for hotels and resorts. The Green Star project aims to addresses local challenges and limitations by establishing area specific criteria, as well as offer practical support and training to hotels looking to acquire the label. The initiative has started in the pilot destination El Gouna on the Red Sea, Egypt using three pilot hotels.

The goals of the label:
The label aims to motivate Egypt’s hoteliers to “go green” to protect the unique environment that continues to attract more and more tourists. As an increasing number of hotels obtain Green Start Hotel certification, Egypt’s image as an eco-friendly tourism destination will continually improve, attracting an even higher number of eco-minded visitors. In the long term, the label strives to be nationally recognised and implemented throughout Egypt to establish a high degree of credibility with international tourists.

The benefits for credited hotels:

- Reduce impact on the environment
- Reduce operating costs and increase operational efficiency
- Gain a competitive marketing advantage and improve the hotel’s public image
- Market the hotel by using the Green Star Hotel brand (flyer, website link, signage, etc.)
- Become more attractive to environmentally conscious tourists
- Offer guests a quality eco-friendly holiday without reducing their level of comfort

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The Seychelles Sustainability Label

The Seychelles Sustainability Label is designed to ensure the future well being of the tourism industry in Seychelles through the consideration of environmental, economic and social criteria.

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The Seychelles Sustainability Label is designed to ensure the future well being of the tourism industry in Seychelles through the consideration of environmental, economic and social criteria. At present the criteria have undergone several field trials and, among others, have covered topics such as energy and water saving, service quality and staff training.

The arrangement of the criteria is process-orientated and is meant to be as convenient and efficient as possible to the auditor when assessing the establishment. Therefore, it is necessary for the hotel to hand in certain documents in advance as well as having a meeting with the responsible persons and checking different issues on-site afterwards. The set is divided into the categories according to the departments the responsible person is in charge of and comprises a total of 122 criteria. There are 12 MUST criteria and 110 optional criteria.