Years ago, I worked as a tour guide for companies like G Adventures and National Geographic Expeditions — organizations that believed in travel as a force for good. My role wasn’t just to show travellers the Big Five or the beauty of the savannah. It was about creating real connections between travellers and local communities, ensuring that tourism brought tangible benefits to the people who call these places home.
That experience shaped the way I see the world.
I witnessed how travel can transform people’s understanding — not just of the world around them, but of the global issues we all face. I also saw the potential to use tourism to directly support grassroots development, and eventually, that’s what led me to step away from guiding and into my current work in international development.
But one trip in particular has never left me.
A few years ago, I was guiding an American couple, Susie and Phil, through Botswana’s Okavango Delta. It was late December, a dry season, and as we drove through the park, we saw several dead hippos. In one almost-dry pool, 10 to 20 hippos were packed together, struggling in thick mud. It was a heartbreaking sight.
That moment sparked a powerful conversation about climate change — one of those raw, unscripted moments where the reality of what’s happening hits home. And because it was a National Geographic trip, I had the opportunity to share a deeper story.
I told them about Dr. Steve Boyes, a South African ornithologist and National Geographic Explorer, who led an ambitious expedition to trace the source of the Okavango River system — starting all the way in the highlands of Angola. He had noticed changes in bird migration patterns and realized that the southern parts of the Delta, near Maun, were drying out. The water wasn’t flowing as it used to. His team even discovered new species during their journey — including previously undocumented fish. Their work was critical, and I was lucky to engage with them at Mopiri Camp, where they had set up their base. I had the chance to hear their stories and sit in on their presentations to our travellers, making the science come alive.
That entire experience made me reflect on the role of tour guides — especially in Africa.
We are more than guides. We are interpreters of the land, its people, and its challenges. We are the bridge between travellers and the lived realities of the communities they visit. And in the context of climate change, that role is more important than ever. Because climate change is not experienced equally.
Living now in the Netherlands, I see how seriously climate resilience is taken in the Global North — especially in a low-lying country like this. Flood prevention, climate adaptation, sustainability — these are common conversations, supported by strong infrastructure and digital connectivity. For example, when my kids here can’t attend school, their education continues online. It’s a small adjustment.
But during COVID-19, I was in Zimbabwe. I saw how children in rural areas — like my aunt’s kids — were completely cut off from learning. There was no internet, no Zoom classes, no online homework. The gap was painful to see. The same goes for climate events. When it rains heavily in rural Zimbabwe, children may miss school for days — not because of minor inconvenience, but because roads flood, bridges collapse, and there are no alternatives.
This is the reality of inequality — not just economic, but environmental and digital too.
So what can we do?
As tour guides, travellers, and citizens of the world, we have a responsibility to tell these stories — and to listen. Tourism offers an incredible platform to raise awareness about climate change, especially how it affects people in the Global South. When done right, it can also be a tool for justice — ensuring that travel dollars stay in local communities, supporting education, livelihoods, and climate resilience.
For me, this journey — from guiding safaris to advising development projects — has deepened my belief that tourism and development are not separate worlds. They are connected. And at the center of it all is the power of storytelling. The power to show, not just tell. To connect people across continents. And to use every trip as an opportunity to plant seeds of change.
Interested in responsible travel, climate justice, or community-led development? Let’s connect. I believe that how we travel matters — and so does what we take away from the experience.
#TravelForGood
#ClimateChange
#SustainableTourism
#CommunityDevelopment
#ClimateJustice
#TourismAndDevelopment
#GlobalSouthVoices
#EcoTourism
#StorytellingForChange
#ResponsibleTravel