Forests play a crucial role in tourism, attracting many millions of visitors each year and contributing significantly to local economies. They cover over 30% of the global land area, providing endless recreational opportunities. Recognising the value of forests in the development of sustainable tourism, the TUI Care Foundation is expanding its forest projects in Gran Canaria, Zanzibar, and Kenya. These initiatives are part of the Foundation’s commitment to developing sustainable tourism solutions that benefit both the environment and local communities.
Near the World Heritage Site of Stone Town, the Masingini Forest National Park is under threat from urban desertification and deforestation. TUI Forest Zanzibar focuses on creating a buffer zone between the urban area and the forest by planting over 63,000 native trees and providing environmental education to young people and the broader community to raise awareness about the forest‘s importance. In collaboration with Kawa Foundation, the project also develops nature-based tourism, including walking and cycling trails, to attract tourists and generate income for the local community.
In Kenya, the Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, an important ecological and tourism area, has suffered from prolonged droughts leading to soil erosion and vegetation loss. TUI Forest Kenya, in partnership with Taita Taveta Wildlife Conservancies Association, plants 40,000 native trees and restores over 24 hectares of forest in a critical riverbank region. The project includes community-run nurseries and a “leave a green footprint” campaign, allowing tourists to participate in tree planting and contribute to conservation efforts.
The extensive wildfires in 2019 and historical deforestation severely impacted Gran Canaria’s biodiversity and soil quality. TUI Forest Gran Canaria, in partnership with Fundación Canaria para la Reforestación (FORESTA), aims to recover forest mass with native species. Planting 3,000 trees, the project creates jobs and involves over 700 volunteers in reforestation activities. As part of the project, holidaymakers have already had the opportunity to plant trees to help fight the island’s desertification process.
The TUI Care Foundation’s ‘Forest February’ is a month of activities dedicated to reforestation. Through a series of project launches and educational activities, it emphasises the importance of community-managed reforestation solutions and sustainable agro-forestry tourism practices to safeguard forest ecosystems for local communities and generations to come.
