AWOL’s Cape Town bike tour is run in conjunction with the Bicycling Empowerment Network (BEN), a non-profit that imports second-hand bicycles for use in African communities.

“Volunteerism”

AWOL’s Townships tour breaks down the barriers imposed by tour buses and cars, using local guides and bicycles to bring visitors closer to communities, and to introduce them to Xhosa customs.

The company is a member of Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa and is also involved with the Sustainable Livelihoods Foundation, a non-profit organisation that promotes grassroots community development.

Peterson set up the business after spending 15 months cycling through Africa as part of a London to Cape Town bike ride. She said AWOL was “in response to the enormous generosity I received when travelling in Africa”.

The greatest challenges facing SMMEs in community tourism are the need to commit to the project for the long-term, and the need to remain true to the people they serve, she says.

“Community businesses often don’t value the very aspect that makes South African Townships so unique and try to ‘Westernise’ their product offering to what they think tourists want and in that way dilute the experience,” she said.

Sande agrees that integrating a business into a community – rather than expecting a community to adapt for tourism – is key.

“I think businesses should always place people at the centre of everything they do, which means not only their staff and their customers, but also the communities in which they operate,” he said.

“It’s only by businesses in Africa taking long-term responsibility for their actions that the whole continent can move forward. Of course governments must have a major role in community development initiatives, but if businesses look at the bigger picture they can also harness the skills, people and funds at their disposal to benefit those around them.”

Sande says tourism businesses in particular are a good fit for community development projects.

“Tourism has the power to not only bring people from the rest of the world to Africa, but also for these people can take away the message of what they have seen and experienced to their friends and families in a way that is much more powerful than any advert could ever be,” he said.