World Responsible Tourism Day was 11 November, and the
Virgin Responsible Tourism Award winners were announced - southern Africa fared well in the results. Mozambique and South Africa had winners - and a special congratulations to the
City of Cape Town, first ever winner of the Best Destination award.
Best destination
Winner: City of Cape Town, South Africa
Judges Reason: "The City of Cape Town has taken responsibility for identifying and prioritising local issues from a responsible tourism perspective. The City’s Tourism Department has worked in conjunction with its colleagues in the city administration and the industry to develop a Responsible Tourism Charter which commits both the industry and the city government to address the local priorities and to report on progress. Signatories have committed to define measurable goals and to monitor and report publicly on progress."
Highly commended: Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty , UK
Contact details: City of Cape Town . Mansoor Mohamed, Executive Director: Economic, Social Development and Tourism, Mansoor.Mohamed@capetown.gov.za, + 27(0) 21 400 2589
- Best for poverty reduction
Winner: Guludo Beach Lodge, Mozambique
Judges Reason: "The work of Guludo Beach Lodge, through their charitable foundation ‘Nema’ has had an unprecedented and undeniably positive impact on the immediate community, working towards major improvements in children’s health care and education conditions. Their portfolio of projects in the local area is exhaustive, having improved school attendance by 350 per cent, providing access to safe drinking water for 15,000 people, supplying over 10,000 women and children with mosquito-nets, and working closely with the local community for the sustainable continuation of their projects by providing water committee training, hygiene and sanitation workshops and much more." Highly commended: Tribal Voice Communications , Kenya, Rekero , Kenya
Contact details: Guludo Beach Lodge . Amy Carter-James, Managing Director, amy@guludo.com, +44 207 1274727
- Best for conservation of wildlife & habitats Winner: Great Plains Conservation, South Africa
Judges Reason: "For incorporating a range of innovative projects across five African countries. Their work in the Maasai Mara is particularly impressive, facilitating the creation of an 80,000 acre conservancy, and guaranteeing regular payment to the local communities for the use of their land for tourism purposes – regardless of the number of guests. On an unequivocal basis, they provide protected revenue for the indigenous peoples of the Mara, reducing the negative social and economic impacts of tourism." Highly commended: Chimpanzee Sanctuary & Wildlife Conservation Trust (CSWCT) , Uganda, Way Out Experiences, Malaysia, Indonesia & Borneo
Contact details: Great Plains Conservation . Hilton Walker, Sales, Marketing and PR Manager, hilton@greatplainsconservation.com +27 31 765 3947 or +27 82 579 9055
Full list of winners found
here.
Responsible Tourism Award winners 2009
