SayPro is equipping South African youth with the knowledge and skills to drive sustainable tourism through Erasmus+ cross-border programs. These programs offer young people opportunities to engage in training, exchanges, and project-based learning focused on sustainability, innovation, and community-based tourism. SayPro partners with European institutions to expose youth to practices such as carbon-neutral travel, digital nomad tourism, and sustainable tour design. The aim is to prepare a new generation of tourism leaders who prioritize environmental stewardship, ethical travel, and cultural respect while also creating economic opportunities in their communities.
Participants engage in workshops on sustainable travel models, such as eco-lodges, green transport systems, and heritage preservation. SayPro ensures youth gain practical experience through internships and collaborative projects with tourism startups and NGOs. These programs foster critical thinking, entrepreneurship, and digital skills, empowering youth to launch their own tourism ventures or improve existing community tourism operations. SayPro includes modules on responsible tourism marketing, measuring tourism’s environmental impact, and inclusive stakeholder engagement. Through Erasmus+, SayPro is creating a network of socially conscious youth capable of transforming South Africa’s tourism landscape for the better.
Inclusivity is central to SayPro’s approach. Youth from disadvantaged backgrounds receive full support to participate, including travel costs, accommodation, and mentorship. SayPro creates safe, diverse learning environments where young people can build intercultural friendships and gain confidence in international settings. Upon return, SayPro connects alumni with tourism agencies, community leaders, and funders to help them launch local sustainability projects. These projects often focus on rural tourism development, community heritage mapping, and climate action in tourism practices. SayPro believes youth-led innovation is key to making South African tourism more sustainable, inclusive, and globally competitive.
Looking ahead, SayPro plans to launch a “Youth for Sustainable Tourism” challenge, inviting Erasmus+ alumni to propose projects that solve tourism-related environmental or social issues. Winning teams will receive funding, mentorship, and exposure through international tourism networks. SayPro envisions a South Africa where tourism is a vehicle for sustainable development and youth leadership. Through Erasmus+, SayPro is investing in a generation that will champion innovation, environmental integrity, and community empowerment in the travel sector—ensuring tourism remains a force for good in the years to come.