The Field Guides Association of Southern Africa (FGASA) is proud to announce a strategic partnership with SATIB Insurance Brokers that will strengthen and support the global professional guiding industry through specialist insurance solutions designed specifically for guides, private guides, guide employers, lodges and tourism businesses.
The partnership, represents a shared commitment to recognising professionalism, supporting career development and helping build a more resilient tourism industry. For more than 36 years, FGASA has set the benchmark for guiding excellence across Africa and Southern Africa through professional standards, qualifications, mentorship, ethical conduct and Continued Professional Development (CPD). These standards ensure that professional guides continually develop their knowledge and skills while maintaining high levels of safety, duty of care, professionalism and environmental stewardship that have earned FGASA international recognition.
SATIB has, for more than three decades, specialised in providing insurance solutions to the tourism, hospitality and leisure sectors. With an in-depth understanding of the unique risks faced by guides, lodges, safari operators and tour companies, SATIB has developed specialist products that address the realities of working in the African tourism environment.
The partnership recognises that professionalism and continuous development contribute directly to reducing risk. Guides who actively maintain their FGASA membership and professional designations demonstrate an ongoing commitment to industry best practice, ethical conduct and lifelong learning. These are qualities that benefit employers, guests, conservation areas and the tourism sector as a whole.
As part of the partnership, active FGASA members qualify for a 7% premium discount on SATIB Guides Cover, while FGASA professionally designated members qualify for a 12% premium discount, recognising their continued investment in professional excellence and the maintenance of their designation through continued professional development.
Importantly, the partnership now extends beyond individual guides.
Lodges, safari operators and tour companies can now access specialist master policies to insure their guiding teams, together with a comprehensive range of tourism-specific insurance solutions. These include business insurance, lodge cover, fleet insurance, passenger liability, professional indemnity, personal insurance for staff and travel protection products for guests travelling throughout Africa.
The specialised Guides Cover has been developed specifically for the guiding profession and includes protection against public liability, accidental death, serious illness, guest-related incidents and 24-hour emergency incident management through SATIB24. Businesses employing multiple guides can also benefit from simplified master policies and rapid emergency response activation.
“Professional guiding is a career built on knowledge, responsibility and lifelong learning,” says Michelle du Plessis, managing director of FGASA. “Through this partnership with SATIB, we are recognising those professional standards while ensuring that guides, lodges and tourism businesses have access to specialist protection designed specifically for our industry. It is another practical way in which FGASA continues to create meaningful value for our members while strengthening the professionalism and sustainability of guiding across South Africa.”
The partnership reflects a shared vision between FGASA and SATIB: that professional guides are at the heart of exceptional tourism experiences and deserve specialist support that protects both their careers and their livelihoods, while simultaneously providing tourism businesses with insurance solutions tailored to the unique demands of the industry.
As South Africa’s tourism industry continues to grow, both organisations believe that investing in professionalism, risk management and industry excellence will contribute to stronger businesses, greater confidence among travellers and more sustainable careers for the region’s guiding professionals. The FGASA–SATIB partnership will officially be unveiled at the FGASA AGM in August, where members and industry stakeholders will receive further information on the range of benefits and specialist insurance solutions now available.
About FGASA: The Field Guides Association of Southern Africa (FGASA) a leading professional association for field guides and trackers. For more than 36 years, FGASA has promoted guiding excellence through qualifications, professional designations, mentorship, ethical standards and continued professional development, helping to develop world-class guides while supporting conservation, responsible tourism and meaningful career pathways throughout all regions.
About SATIB: SATIB Insurance Brokers is one of Africa’s leading specialist insurance providers to the tourism, hospitality and leisure industries. With more than three decades of sector-specific expertise, SATIB delivers tailored insurance and risk management solutions to guides, lodges, tour operators, hospitality businesses and travellers across Africa.