In recent years, travelers become more aware of responsible and sustainable tourism of “ecotourism“. But what does that actually mean?

In short, responsible tourism is the way we approach our work at Benson Safaris: by maximizing economic, environmental and social benefits while minimizing negative impacts on the destination in which we travel.

It’s easy to travel responsibly. Just think about your attitude and choices abroad – respect the local people, their economy, culture and, of course, the environment in which they live.

Responsible tourism practices are important to Benson Safaris Tanzania and these values are embedded in the culture of our business, from the way we run our office to the structure of our trips. We also hold our staff and clients accountable and encourage them to travel responsibly abroad by promoting goodwill, having cultural discussions, and ensuring that the most vulnerable members of our community – animals, children, and women – are not exploited in any way.

We are often asked, “How much of my travel expenses do you donate to charity?”

While we make financial contributions to the community around us, Responsible Tourism is about much more than just donating money to charity. It can be really harmful to give money to organizations that are not properly registered. There, no one is held accountable for the donations received and it can often end up in the wrong hands, no matter how good the intention. That’s why we only make contributions to registered organizations that we believe make a positive contribution to society. Let us explain further …

Most responsible tourism practices take place behind the scenes before you even arrive on the African continent. Responsible tourism practices take place every day, 365 days a year.

Practice responsible tourism in our office by paying our employees fair wages, treating them with integrity and respect, and investing our time in their continuing education, product knowledge and skills.

Benson offer work experience and paid employment for students who are in the final stages of studying for Wildlife and Tour Guides in college. They can be hired as transfer drivers (driving you to and from the airport), drivers of our city tours (you will also be accompanied by our Training and Development Director or another staff member), or they can join your team of camping assistants on our full-service camping safaris or mountain tours.

Practice responsible tourism in our operations by sourcing from a number of local businesses and suppliers to ensure that economic benefits are distributed. We do not believe in paying the lowest price as this is not responsible tourism. We believe in a fair price that benefits everyone.

Our Responsible Tourism

Practice responsible tourism on our trips by paying our safari drivers, guides, cooks, camp assistants, mountain guides, mountain cooks and porters fair wages and ensuring they are treated with integrity and respect. We also provide them with their accommodation, meals and drinks. Unfortunately, some tour operators cut costs by not providing their team with lodging, drinking water and adequate meals – this is not an example of responsible tourism.

Sir Richard Branson once said, “Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the customers, “- we couldn’t be more different.

We also manage our water and electricity resources and minimize our plastic waste to avoid negative impacts in the areas where we travel.

The practice responsible tourism in the community by helping a child attend school. The Benson Safaris Tanzania team is proud to support a girl named Joyce * and has been doing so for 8 years. She is now in her first year of secondary school and is a model student. Joyce’s father, who is from a poor village on the outskirts of Moshi, abandoned her when she was young, and her mother is HIV positive. Her future was bleak, but with our continued sponsorship, her future is now promising. We are proud that our responsible tourism practices are contributing to a better future for Tanzania’s children.

Our Financial and Practical Contribution

Benson also make financial and practical contributions to the Maasai villages, the Hadazbe Bushmen, and various other groups we visit on safari. In addition to local payments to the village chief, we provide school books, pens, pencils and personal items for women such as tampons and sanitary pads.

We often hear, “We want to travel responsibly AND we want the lowest price.” However, sustainable and responsible travel comes at a small additional cost.

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The following is a basic overview of how to use your safari or trekking money.

License fees to comply with government rules and regulations: We understand that booking directly with a local tour operator in Africa can be daunting. Unfortunately, there are many “companies” offering safaris and treks that do not have the necessary government licenses and permits to transport clients for tourism purposes. When booking directly, it is important to ask questions. For example, request documentation and confirm with the appropriate authorities to ensure you are traveling with a reputable company. Benson Safaris Tanzania is a licensed tour operator with a TALA (Tourist Agents Licensing Authority) license. We are a proud TATO member (Tanzanian Association of Tour Operators) as well as a member of the Tanzanian Tourist Board (TTB) and the Interpretive Guides Society ( IGS).  

National Park entrance fees and National Park camping fees (for those who sleep in the National Park): These fees are set by the government authorities of TANAPA and the Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area and are non-negotiable.

Accommodation fees:

Accommodation fees are set by the respective lodge or tented camp each safari season and are non-negotiable.  If you feel that the fees are too high, we can assist you in finding alternative accommodation to suit your needs.

Vehicle Related Charges:

Your safety is our top priority. Our vehicles are serviced at the beginning and end of each trip. Some days a vehicle may require a simple oil change, while other days all four tires may need to be replaced. Vehicle maintenance fees are non-negotiable as we are responsible for your safety and take that responsibility very seriously.

Food and Beverage:

our trips are all-inclusive and we purchase from a number of local businesses and suppliers to ensure that the economic benefits are spread out. We don’t believe in negotiating to get the lowest price. We want a fair price that benefits everyone.

Wages:

from our office and operations staff to our on-site team, we believe in paying fair wages. All of our employees have been personally selected by Benson and he takes pride in his team and the service they provide to our customers. Unfortunately, some companies underpay their employees in order to offer the lowest price to customers. We do not condone this behavior as it is not responsible tourism. If we offer you a discount for your vacation, you can be sure that the money will not come out of the pockets of our employees!

Community Responsibility:

All our safaris offer cultural elements. We make financial and practical contributions to the Maasai villages, the Hadazbe Bushmen and various other groups we visit. In addition to local payments to the village chief, we provide school books, pens, pencils, and personal items for women such as tampons and pads.

Operating Profit:

As a small but growing company, our focus is on growing our business and returning our profits to the company. When you book with a local tour operator, you take out the travel agents, which means we can offer very reasonable prices on all safaris and treks. Benson’s vision is to build a successful business with a focus on repeat and referred customers, as there is no greater compliment than receiving a referral. As a father of two young children, he hopes to one day pass the reins to his daughters and make it a family business – that is, of course, if they want to work in the tourism industry!

Benson Safaris Tanzania prides itself on being a responsible tour operator and we are committed to making a positive contribution wherever possible.