South African Adventure Industry Association (SA AIA) Partners with African Paddling Association (APA) to Strengthen Industry and Professionalization SA AIA, the leading professional association in adventure-based learning and adventure guiding in South Africa, is proud to announce a significant partnership with the African Paddling Association (APA). This collaborative effort aims to further enhance the adventure industry, foster professional development, and promote accountability within the adventure community. The partnership between SA AIA and APA signifies a shared commitment to elevating the standards and practices in adventure-based activities. Under the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), APA has become a full corporate member of SA AIA, allowing their members to join SA AIA at a 30% discounted rate, fostering a community of adventure professionals committed to excellence. Key Objectives of the Partnership: 1.Enhancing Professionalism: SA AIA will assist APA in ensuring that individual guides and tour operators adhere to industry standards, promoting safety and compliance. 2.Promoting Professional Development: APA will encourage its members who are guides or aspiring guides, as well as staff, to join SA AIA. This will provide access to continuous professional development (CPD), accountability, and opportunities for growth. 3.Skills Development: Accredited training providers aligned with the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) or CATHSSETA can register with SA AIA as Skills Development Partners, offering CPD points to professional members. 4.Consolidated Benefits: Members of both organizations will benefit from a consolidated platform, offering a wider range of resources, networking opportunities, and shared knowledge. 5.Influence and Impact: The partnership presents an opportunity for APA to extend its influence in the adventure community and access a larger knowledge base, while SA AIA gains a stronger presence in the paddling sector. This partnership underscores SA AIA’s commitment to creating a professional and regulated adventure industry in South Africa. By working together, SA AIA and APA aim to enhance accountability, professionalism, and the overall quality of adventure experiences in the region. SA AIA remains dedicated to its mission of becoming a SAQA-registered professional body for Adventure Guides and Adventure-based Learning (or LOTC) facilitators / leaders. About SA AIA: SA AIA represents two distinct sectors within its membership: Individuals – students and those who are qualified and who operate with the Adventure Based Learning (ABL), LOTC, and Adventure Tourist Guiding industries – and businesses – that provide training, products, and services within these industries. As such, it facilitates the bringing together two of the main entities that play a role in developing regulatory frameworks namely individuals and businesses. SA AIA is a member driven association, striving to become a SAQA-registered professional body. Our mission is to collaborate with likeminded individuals, and organizations to unlock the economic, human, and environmental potential of the South African Adventure Industry through a process of professionalization. www.adventureassociation.co.za About APA: The African Paddling Association is a non-profit organization established to promote the status and interest of paddling tour operators and guides. Our members are bound to adhere to strict operation, conservation, and consideration ethics in order to create a Professional Paddling Association for all. www.apa.org.za

Current Tourist Guide qualifications are expiring. All current guide qualifications were discontinued and expired on the 30th of June 2023. The last date for enrolment onto these qualifications is 30 June 2024. All students have until 30 June 2027 to achieve these qualifications (so long as they enrolled before 30 June 2024). Request for current qualifications not yet accepted as “historical qualifications”. Together with FGASA and the NFTGA, we requested that all current qualifications, including the Generic Adventure Site Guide skills programme, be accepted as historical qualifications so that guides can use them to re-register or to register with their local registrar as a guide. This request has been escalated however, as of today, no news on a decision has yet been given. Phase one: Mapping Sessions The Department of Tourism hosted four mapping sessions together with CATHSSETA and industry representatives where the potential new qualifications were discussed and ideals were mapped out. This was done for the “Nature Guide Qualification”, the “Culture Guide Qualification”, and the “Adventure Guide Qualification”. The facilitator is to write a report on each session. The final mapping session to wrap things up on all three qualifications was held on 1 – 3 August 2023 at the Tourism House in Gauteng. Because of the informal nature of these discussions, a lot of informal talking and brainstorming happens, so we need to wait for the final report before we can give comments from the sector via our various representative structures. Phase two: Qualification Development Process The formal QCTO qualification development process will be done with CATHSSETA who will be responsible for appointing a facilitator to develop the formal occupational certificates, part qualifications, or skills programmes. This process is consultive in nature and the industry will be invited to make inputs. The South African Adventure Industry Association strives to make sure that Adventure Tourist Guides are represented alongside their specialisations and that the workplace is adequately represented as well to ensure a realistic approach to these qualifications are taken. We pride ourselves in transparent and truthful communication alongside our collaborative nature and relationships with other industry-driven associations, private and public sectors included.