Accommodation Selection and Development Policy

Objective: At Where It All Began, our mission is to provide exceptionally sustainable adventure travel experiences that honour and celebrate the local culture, architecture, and heritage of the destinations we suggest to our clients but that also align with our values of sustainability and responsible tourism. Our accommodation selection and development policy outlines our approach to identifying greenwashing and, where we have influence, in encouraging our accommodation suppliers to prioritize genuine sustainability efforts.

Policy Statement: Our company is dedicated to offering our clients accommodations and dining experiences that integrate and reflect the local art, architecture, and cultural heritage of their surroundings. This commitment is embedded in our selection criteria, which prioritize not only price and comfort but also the incorporation of local heritage and sustainability practices. This policy outlines our commitment to selecting accommodations and restaurants that embody these values while respecting the intellectual property rights of local communities.

Criteria for Selection:

1. 1. Respect for Local Architecture and Heritage:
      • Accommodation: We prioritize accommodations situated in or refurbished heritage buildings, which celebrate and preserve the historical and architectural significance of the location. Establishments such as Parker Cottage and Cape Heritage Hotel in Cape Town, the Oude Werf in Stellenbosch, and The Peech in Johannesburg are prime examples of our preferred choices due to their commitment to maintaining and showcasing local heritage. In rural areas such as Kruger NP, we use Tanda Tula, Umlani Bush Camp and Rhino Post because of their demonstrated commitment to the communities in which they are located.
      • Restaurants: We choose dining establishments that integrate local art and architectural elements into their design, such as Miller’s Thumb in Cape Town, which operates in a heritage building, and Marble in Johannesburg, which features a local art collection. These choices reflect our dedication to promoting and preserving local culture.
   2. Sustainability and Ethical Practices:
      • Accommodation: We support accommodations that implement sustainable practices and ethical business operations. For instance, Point B, Cape Heritage Hotel, Oude Werf, and The Peech are recognized for their commitment to sustainability and ethical management and have stated policies regarding such. 
      • Restaurants: Our restaurant selections include those that offer sustainable dining options, such as Miller’s Thumb, which provides sustainable seafood, aligning with our ethos of environmental responsibility.
      • Ending of relationships: whilst we recognise that historical injustices in South Africa have lead to communities being forcibly removed from land or denied access to resources and that such injustices are difficult to resolve speedily, we will also seek to terminate relationships with suppliers who in any way actively or passively jeopardize access to vital resources like soil, food, water, energy or healthcare for local communities.
   3. Respect for Intellectual Property Rights:
      • We ensure that the accommodations and restaurants we partner with respect the intellectual property rights of local communities. This means promoting businesses that are mindful of cultural sensitivity and avoid appropriating or misrepresenting local traditions and artworks.

Comprehensive Selection Process:

1. Assessment: At Where It All Began, we aim first and foremost to use Fair Trade or otherwise accredited accommodations within South Africa.  In Namibia, where we also have journeys, we try to only use 4 flowers or higher Eco Tourism Awards establishments.  We trust both these accreditations to offer the most sustainable and ethical accommodation to be found in either country.   

Some of our journeys go to locations where there aren’t any accredited accommodation establishments and in these cases, we consider the alignment of each establishment we choose based on the following guidelines:

• • Minimum – does the business have some kind of written statement regarding commitment to local heritage, community involvement, conservation, sustainability, regeneration or ethicality on their site?
    
  • Preferable – the minimum but in addition, does the business measure its impact in terms of what it sets out to do in conservation, community or in some other sense?
  • Ideal – the minimum and the preferable and in addition, does the business indicate to visitors what they can do to contribute to the efforts they are making?

1. 1. Verification: As director, Philip Rendel is on the road at least three months of every year visiting and selecting places to stay, eat and visit. Feedback from clients and local community representatives also informs our selection process.
   2. Certification: We prioritize establishments that hold relevant certifications, such as FTT (Fair Trade Tourism), to ensure they meet high standards of ethical and sustainable practices.
   3. Identifying Greenwashing: We will conduct thorough research and due diligence to identify accommodation providers that genuinely prioritize sustainability and responsible practices. We will remain vigilant against greenwashing tactics, such as misleading marketing claims or superficial sustainability initiatives, and prioritize partnerships with accommodation providers that demonstrate a genuine commitment to sustainability.

Integration into Company Processes:

1. Vendor Relationships: Our travel consultants, Ann-Lee Posthumous and Elizma Vroom, are trained to identify and recommend accommodations and restaurants that align with our heritage and sustainability values. We spend between three and four months a year on the road visiting sites we think may be good additions to our portfolio and where we seek to include an establishment, we build relationships with these vendors that are continually nurtured.
2. Client Communication: We clearly communicate our selection criteria and the rationale behind our choices to clients, enhancing their understanding and appreciation of the local culture and heritage reflected in their travel experiences.
3.  Continuous Improvement: We actively seek feedback from our clients and partners to refine our selection process and ensure that our choices consistently reflect the highest standards of respect for local architecture, settings, and cultural heritage.
4. Encouraging Supplier Ambition: We provide resources and guidance (such as examples of best practice at other vendors we use) to help accommodation providers implement sustainable practices and make meaningful progress towards their sustainability goals. Where we have influence (we are a small DMC), we will engage with our accommodation suppliers to encourage and support their efforts towards sustainability .Our team will communicate our sustainability expectations and preferences to accommodation providers and encourage them to set ambitious goals for improvement in areas such as procurement, water and energy use/management, and waste management.

      5. Setting Ambitious Targets

• • Over the next 24 months, Where It All Began aims to explicitly state on our site which of our accommodation choices meet high sustainability standards.
  • Where we have influence, we will work closely with our existing accommodation partners to set ambitious targets for improvement in key areas such as reducing energy and water consumption, minimizing waste generation, and promoting local and sustainable procurement practices.
  • Where we have influence, we will regularly review the progress of our accommodation suppliers against these targets and provide support and encouragement to help them meet and exceed their sustainability goals.

       6. Implementation Timeline:

• • Our listings for accommodation selection and development will be implemented over the next 24 months, with specific milestones and targets established at regular intervals.
  • We will prioritize partnerships with accommodation providers that demonstrate a willingness to engage in sustainability initiatives and make meaningful progress towards our shared sustainability goals.

       7. Continuous Improvement:

• • Sustainability is an ongoing journey, and we are committed to continuously improving our accommodation selection and development practices.
  • We will regularly review and update our policies and procedures to reflect the latest best practices and innovations in sustainable tourism.
  • Feedback from clients, staff, and other stakeholders will be actively solicited and incorporated into our decision-making processes to ensure that we remain responsive to evolving sustainability challenges and opportunities.

By implementing this accommodation selection and development policy, Where It All Began aims to promote sustainable tourism practices, support accommodation providers in their sustainability efforts, and provide our clients with memorable and responsible travel experiences.