On the 27th of October, the Timbavati Foundation co-hosted a Careers in Conservation careers day at Mahlale High School in Welverdient, a small village on the outskirts of the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve. Vusi and Chris went along as the Tanda Tula Representatives, they helped to show our support of this incredibly important initiative by showcasing our lodges and the many career paths within the ecotourism space.
It is vital to bridge the gap between protected areas and communities to maintain and protect our natural heritage. An educated, well-informed community could serve as the front-line protection of the protected areas they border.
Nelson Mandela once said: “education is the most important tool that can change the world”. Communities need to be educated about the importance of being involved in the decision-making of protected areas, and by so doing reduce the barriers that exist as well as allow sufficient access to these iconic places.
Careers in Conservation, a YouTube series, which is produced in the local language of Xitsonga, aims to expose youth along the Greater Kruger region to career opportunities that they could venture into within the protected areas around them.
It highlights local heroes and role models within the field of conservation to whom youth could look up for inspiration. Even better, it provides the youth access to those role models through school engagement activities and excursions.
To be truly successful in its mission, Careers in Conservation Expo and Fun day is a day that allows learners of the GCC’s future rangers’ program as well as the Timbavati Foundation Focus High Schools, to get up close and personal with conservation leaders and professionals tn the industry and so further fuel their inspiration to pursue a Career in Conservation. The event does so in a way designed to hook and provoke learners’ sense of love and care for wildlife and the environment.
There were incredibly about 500 community and school learners present on the day of this event. We felt that it was a huge privilege to be there and help inspire these young people and hopefully create further awareness around the importance of conservation and at the same time showcase the many job opportunities that lie in the lodge industry.
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PROVISIONAL:
Bookings can be held as provisional for up to 14 days, after which the booking is required to release or confirm. A 20% refundable deposit is required to confirm the booking.
CONFIRMED:
Once confirmed with a 20% deposit, the booking is held on a status of ‘confirmed with refundable deposit’ until any of the following becomes true:
Final payment is due 60 days prior to arrival. Any outstanding balance on the total reservation value shall be required to be settled at 60 days prior to arrival.
All refundable deposits, commitment fees and full payments are held in a separate call account and do not become part of the operational cash flow until the guest has stayed.
The amount stated on the invoice is what must be received by Tanda Tula nett of bank charges.
CANCELLED
Cancellations must be received and acknowledged by Tanda Tula in writing.
‘Confirmed with refundable deposit’: bookings carry no cancellation fees up to 61 days prior to arrival.
‘Confirmed with commitment’ or ‘Confirmed with full-payment’: in the event of any reservation being cancelled after Tanda Tula has issued a confirmation, for any reason other than a WHO-recognised pandemic that impacts the booking, the following cancellation fees will apply:
All cancelled bookings that qualify for a refund, will be refunded less a handling fee valued at 5% of the refund amount.
PANDEMIC DISCLAIMER
Tanda Tula will allow postponement of a booking for up to 12 months, if travel is cancelled with a commitment fee or 60 days or less prior to arrival due to a WHO-recognised pandemic directly impacting the guests’ ability to travel (e.g. lockdown, no flights, guest not allowed to board a flight, guest falls ill due to a pandemic and unable to travel).
In the event of a WHO-recognised pandemic directly impacting the ability of Tanda Tula to meet its obligations with respect to the booking, all monies received, including the commitment fee, will be fully refunded (e.g. lockdown in RSA, government restrictions on trade).
Any refund is given at the discretion of Tanda Tula management and will be charge a handling fee valued at 5% of the refund amount.
All travellers are advised to take out fully comprehensive travel insurance with ‘cancellation for no reason’. This insurance must be able to fully cover cancellation of travel fewer than 60 days prior to arrival.
The Terms and Conditions are subject to change without notice.
