Pretoria, South Africa — 1 November 2025
In a milestone for South Africa’s adventure tourism sector, SA AIA is proud to announce the launch of the country’s first official designation for adventure guides: the Certified Professional Adventure Tourist Guide (SA) .
This designation represents a major step toward professional recognition, accountability, and the development of nationally aligned standards for guiding in adventure environments.
The designation framework includes:
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Eligibility requirements
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Competence and experience standards
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Recognition of prior learning
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CPD maintenance requirements
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Code of ethical practice
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Supporting industry guidelines and policy documents
All documents relating to the designation are now publicly available on the SA AIA website.
“This is the first time South Africa has a formal pathway that recognises adventure guides as professionals, not just operators in the field. It raises the bar for safety, ethics, and quality.” — Jessi Sunkel, Executive Director, SA AIA
Designation information: www.saaia.org.za/designations