Image: Instagram / @tswalu
Tswalu has been awarded Global Ecosphere Retreat (GER) status by The Long Run, the organisation’s most advanced sustainability standard.
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The private reserve in the Kalahari became a member of The Long Run in 2020, and it is one of only 12 properties worldwide to have achieved GER certification.
Anne-Kathrin Zschiegner, the executive director of The Long Run, said it was ‘a critical milestone in Tswalu’s sustainability journey. Tswalu’s commitment to biodiversity conservation and research to protect the region’s most endangered species is truly inspiring and vital for preserving this important biodiversity for future generations.’
GER recognition is earned rather than granted, following a rigorous assessment process underwritten by Preferred by Nature and endorsed by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council and Travelyst. It is awarded for six years, with a compulsory review after three years to ensure compliance.
Tswalu is in South Africa’s biggest privately protected wildlife reserve. It is on a sustainable conservation drive to restore the Kalahari through a high-value, low-impact ecotourism model of nature-based tourism. For its part, The Long Run works towards positive-impact tourism.
This article was originally published in the January 2025 issue of Getaway Magazine. Find us on shelves now for more!
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