Benjamin Taghavi-Awal
My life, all travels, the people I’ve met, my education and all years of professional experience have prepared me for Fair Travel™. The idea was born when I was travelling and looking for a safari and Kilimanjaro company myself in Tanzania. I was stunned by the prices considering the average income of the population and level of poverty. I was hurt to learn that profits from tourism rarely benefit the local people. I was furious to find out that in many cases, the staff receives nothing but minimum wage, or less, and that I, as a guest, was made responsible to decide their salaries with recommended tips. I was determined to use my professional business experience and do something about this situation. I was curious to learn more about Tanzania and its magnificent destinations. I was inspired to change the rules of the game – seeking social and environmental profits over money profits. I was lucky to meet William Sekajingo and have him as a trusted partner. Now, I work passionately to connect our guests to nature and themselves while discovering Tanzania with quality, safety and value – for them and the people involved.
William Sekajingo
It is obvious that Tanzania has a wealth of natural resources and attractions which could improve the economy and local conditions if well utilized. Unfortunately, since I was a child it has been difficult to watch for-profit-only capitalists come over to exploit our resources, pay my fellow Tanzanian poor wages and remove the wealth from Tanzania! This inspired me to open a tour company when I was in college, and in the last semester of my college education, I started to work on the plan.
I was able to create a website, market it, and after few months I got some customers. My capital was small so the growth was small as well. To support myself I worked for one of the 5-star lodge operators as Procurement Manager. In late 2009, I met Benjamin and after long discussions we realized that that we share the same ideas and feelings about how our natural resources should be used. I quit my job and decided to take a different and more fulfilling path with Fair Travel™. That´s how it all started…
…and now we invite you to become part of our story. Together we can make tourism sustainable.
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