In this episode of I Am Tourism, Melissa Foley sits down with Cameron Murray, co-founder of TAHS-SA (Traditional African Homestays South Africa) — a pioneering initiative that connects travellers with rural communities through authentic, respectful homestays. But this isn’t your typical “community experience” story.

It all started in 2016, when Cameron and his wife Kylie pulled over at a shebeen in Limpopo on a scorcher of a day, ordered a Zamalek, and struck up conversation with locals. That single moment sparked what would become one of Southern Africa’s most transformative grassroots tourism networks — built not from templates or top-down plans but by earning trust from traditional leaders and walking alongside communities to co-create something real.

Cameron shares candidly about what it took to get started (including navigating chiefs and ward councillors), what makes homestays so powerful for both hosts and guests, and why too many “authentic” travel offerings still miss the mark.

Key Takeaways:

Cameron Murray

• “There was no rulebook. I downloaded one CBT guide online – that was my reading material at night.”
• “Every traveller makes a direct impact- to homestay moms, spaza shop owners, even barbers. We’ve seen bakeries open because of tourism.”
• “People underestimate how powerful human connection is – just learning about someone else’s culture gives you more respect for them.”