Speaker: Ben Peterson, Founder and CEO, Purple Elephant Ventures In his presentation, Ben presented an argument that the tourism industry is, by and large, failing to achieve genuine sustainability and regeneration. He estimated that only a small fraction around 5% of the industry truly prioritizes sustainability, while the majority engage in minimal, often superficial efforts...
We continued strong into the second quarter of the year, hosting and attending several events within the industry. Here’s our Q2 quarterly newsletter outlining everything we did. To keep up to date with our upcoming events visit events.sttakenya.org or Follow us on social media @sttakenya or @sttafrica
STASSTAS25STAS25 Recaps – Innovative Youth Centred Tourism Ecosystem, for Youth-Led Change-Making and Sustainable Development in Kenya
August 7, 20250
Speaker: Prof Marina Novelli, Director of the Sustainable Travel and Tourism Advanced Research Centre (STTAR-C), Nottingham University Business School In her presentation, Prof. Marina outlined a broader vision aimed at challenging the existing systemic failures within the tourism ecosystem. The focus was not merely on short-term fixes, but on promoting sustainable and inclusive tourism development...
𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗧𝗼𝘄𝗻! We are pleased to share that our team lead, Judy Kepher-Gona, has been appointed Honorary Professor of Sustainable Tourism at Nottingham University Business School for a period of three years from August 1, 2025. This prestigious appointment is a testament to Judy’s unwavering dedication, thought leadership, and outstanding contributions...
STASSTAS25STAS25 Recaps – Travellers Philanthropy: Stories VS Systems. From Feel-Good Giving to System -Aware Tourism.
August 6, 20250
Speaker: Dr. Amy Scarth, Founder, The Whys Dr. Amy Scarth’s presentation delivered a deeply reflective and critical analysis of travel philanthropy, moving beyond the often simplistic and romanticized notions of charitable giving in tourism. Drawing from a qualitative study conducted in rural communities near national parks, she invited the audience to interrogate long-held assumptions about...
Speaker: Marta Gras, Enkopiro Camp, Maasai Mara Marta Gras presented a compelling case for a paradigm shift in cultural tourism interactions, advocating for more meaningful, respectful, and collaborative engagements with local communities. Drawing from her experience working with the Maasai community in Kenya, she critiqued the often superficial nature of typical tourist interactions that treat...
Speaker: Marissa Volkman, Project Manager, GLP Films Marissa Volkman’s presentation, more of a visual storytelling masterclass, looked into the power of strategic storytelling in promoting sustainable travel and positioning hotels as ideal destinations for soft adventure and responsible travelers. Through striking visuals and clear narrative structure, she unpacked how stories can be used not just...
STASSTAS25STAS25 Recaps – Aligning Growth with Responsibility: Kenya’s Strategic Vision for Sustainable Tourism
August 2, 20250
Speaker: Mr. Nobert Talam, Director General, Tourism Regulatory Authority Mr. Talam outlined Kenya’s tourism sustainability strategies while presenting the country’s ambitious targets of increasing international tourist arrivals to 3 million by 2024 and 5 million by 2027. These goals are not only about growth in numbers but are rooted in a vision of responsible and...
Panelists: Mr. Alan Dixon, Ms. Miriam Obegi, Ms. Shammi Shah, and Ms. Sharon Rombo Moderator: Ms. Christine Olanga This session brought to life the concept of shifting from conventional “best practices” to “valuable practices” through real-world examples shared by industry leaders. The conversations by Let’s Go Travel Uniglobe, Saruni Basecamp, Travel 4 Purpose, and Nomad...
STASSTAS25STAS25 Recaps – Making the Shift from Best Practices to Valuable Practices for Impact
July 31, 20250
Speaker: Judy Kepher Gona, Founder and Executive Director, Sustainable Travel and Tourism Africa The presentation by Judy Kepher Gona addressed a crucial evolution in the field of sustainable tourism, the need to shift from the widely used concept of “best practices” to a more grounded and impactful approach, “valuable practices.” Judy made a compelling case...
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