“We feel that this past year has been a pivotal one for the conversation around sustainability in the global travel industry and that the time is right to lean into that conversation around creating a sustainable future for travel to Africa. I think many of us have come to realise that our ultimate goal as travel professionals is to ensure the preservation and protection of the biodiversity and cultures of the destinations we serve,” says Lee Kelsall, CEO of the Ker & Downey Africa Group.
Africa is one of the world’s most rapidly urbanising continents. According to Greenpop, between the years 2000 and 2030, the urban population in Africa will more than double, with urban space increasing by more than 700%. As this happens, more and more ecosystems and the essential natural assets that they provide will come under threat.
“It is more important than ever to work together to protect these natural spaces – it is only by conserving and restoring these threatened ecosystems that we can ensure a sustainable future for Africa,” says Kelsall. Each trip booked with Ker & Downey Africa will include a donation to fund the planting of one tree in one of Greenpop’s forest restoration projects across South Africa, Zambia, Malawi and Tanzania, helping travelers reduce their carbon footprint and create a sustainable future for Africa.
According to the Global Tree Restoration Potential Report published in July 2019, forest restoration is the best climate change solution available today and increasing the Earth’s forests by an area the size of the United States would cut atmospheric carbon dioxide by 25%.
Committed to responsible travel and sustainability, the partnership with Greenpop is one way the travel company is giving back to create a sustainable future for Africa. They hope to expand their strategic partnerships to provide their clients with easy solutions to not only reduce their carbon emissions when traveling to Africa, but give back to local communities and wildlife conservation.
Together, Ker & Downey Africa hope to assist Greenpop in reaching their goal of planting 500,000 trees restore degraded forest areas by 2025, as well as lessen the negative impact travel has on the environment.
Tags: Ker & Downey Africa, Greenpop
