The Nature Workshop (Pty) Ltd. is dedicated to the philosophy of ecotourism within the tourism industry, in order to contribute to the protection and conservation of remaining wilderness regions in Africa and globally. As partners in this endeavour with ecotourism operators, we strive to achieve the correct balance between ecological requirements, the profitable and efficient operation of ecotourism enterprises, innovative and appropriate marketing, and local community development and upliftment.

The Nature Workshop was founded in 1996 in response to demand from within the ecotourism industry for a range of services required by the industry. The company is a broad based ecotourism services business with a number of divisions. A consulting division through The Nature Workshop with a focus on the development, management and marketing of ecotourism ventures; TNW Lodges which is the operational division focussing on ecotourism development, management and marketing; and TNW Travel Company a Tour Operating division that has been in operation since January 1998 with a specific focus on safari, golf and spa experiences across southern and east Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands.

The Nature Workshop is a company based on principles and ethics that are central to the environment. It is our belief that the environment is central to the core of mankind and as a result our character, behaviour patterns, mental state, lifestyle and approach to business and problem solving reflect that particular environment.

When we consider our environment there are a number of issues we need to address. How do we pay for the environment? Who pays to protect it? etc. etc. In the World today everyone comments “What about the economy?” What we don’t realise is that the economy only works because the environment or ecology allows it to do so.

Two words we are all familiar with and use on a regular basis are Economy and Ecology. Both have their origin in Greek, if we break them up, we get the following:

• 'Eco' - “Oikos” in Greek - meaning house
• 'nomy' - “Noumos” in Greek - meaning rules
• 'Logos' meaning structure
• 'Ecology' meaning Structure of the House

What the world has been doing is putting the cart before the horse and not realising that it is the environment that affords us an economy and not vice versa.

The Nature Workshop seeks to provide a service to our clients that takes cognisance of the broader conservation and environmental issues, to endeavor to position our clients’ business in such a way that through an understanding of, and a sensitivity toward, both the needs of man and nature, their businesses are seen to be contributing toward a better life for all.

The Nature Workshop is currently involved in a number of business areas, which are all linked to our focus area of nature-based ecotourism, conservation and the environment. The objective of The Nature Workshop is to provide a comprehensive range of services within this sector, that most operators would require.