Press Release

Serengeti Under Siege – A Call to the Travel Industry

Ithaca, New York (December 5, 2024) The Serengeti ecosystem is facing growing threats. In response, Friends of Serengeti, a nonprofit travel association founded by Serengeti Watch, is seeking members to promote sustainable tourism and benefit local communities.

David Blanton, Director of Serengeti Watch, emphasized, “The Serengeti-Mara ecosystem is at a turning point, and our actions today will determine its resilience and sustainability. The travel industry has a pivotal role to play.”

Climate change, burgeoning human and livestock populations, invasive plant species, threatened water resources, and more, are creating a perfect storm of threats for the Serengeti ecosystem. At the same time, Maasai pastoralists are being pressured to leave their traditional lands to make way for more tourism, causing a protest from human rights organizations.

Tourism compounds these threats by adding vehicles, roads, lodges, and other infrastructure to the ecosystem, in the process disrupting wildlife hunting and reproduction and access to key river areas. Tourism must build guardrails and align itself with best practices to protect biodiversity and promote community development.

Mission and Benefits

The mission of Friends of Serengeti is to build a sustainable framework that supports the ecosystem through advocacy and funding.

This includes:

  • Upholding best practices of responsible and sustainable tourism.
  • Supporting the rights and livelihoods of local communities.
  • Educating travelers and encouraging their support for conservation and community programs.
  • Ensuring local operators and guides maintain high standards.
  • Advocating for responsible tourism policies.

In return, members stand out in the marketplace by showing their commitment to conservation.  Utilizing Friends of Serengeti branding and, safari operators, lodges, and hotels have a way to get noticed by conservation-minded travelers.

Members involve their travelers by giving them information on issues and asking them for voluntary donations when paying for their trips.  Modeled after the successful International Galapagos Tour Operators Association (www.igtoa.org), experience shows that travelers are willing to give and like to feel they’re part of the solution.

Friends of Serengeti works with partner organizations on the ground to identify needs and carry out projects. The focus is on bringing benefits to local communities so they become stewards of their remarkable natural heritage.

Membership Information

Membership is open to international and East African tour operators. Annual dues are set at $600 for international members and $400 for East African companies. Benefits include the use of the Friends of Serengeti logo, marketing materials, and enhanced online visibility.

Contact:

David Blanton for more information or to apply for membership.
info@serengetiwatch.org
serengetiwatch.org/friends-of-serengeti

Serengeti Watch is a part of the Earth Island Institute, based in Berkeley, CA, USA. For more about the institute, visit www.earthisland.org.