Winners of the Responsible Tourism Awards 2023 announced at WTM Africa

WTM Africa 2023 celebrated the champions of Responsible Tourism on the African continent on April 4, 2023 by announcing the winners of the WTM Africa Responsible Tourism Awards 2023.

These annual awards highlight and promote the very best practices in sustainability and responsibility in the tourism industry. The aim is to promote good practice and showcase pioneering projects that focus on the wellbeing and sustainability of tourism, while also caring for the people and landscapes that make the industry thrive.

The winners of the WTM Africa Responsible Tourism Awards 2023 are: Tourism Authority Mauritius and Weeva, which won gold at the Best for Addressing Climate Change category.

For Best for Diversity and Inclusion category, BirdLife South Africa won gold, while silver went to Liveable,

In the Best for Local Sourcing, Craft and Food category: Ngwenya Glass and Tourism Authority Mauritius both won gold, while Artisans Co Ltd won the silver.

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In the Best for Meaningful Connections, Thando South Africa won gold,

Happy Soul Adventures won silver, while Wildlife ACT won gold in the Best for Nature-Positive Tourism category and BirdLife South Africa won silver medal and One to watch: Cape Vulture Lodge. The gold for Best for Tackling Plastic Waste went to Lemala Camps & Lodges.

Free to enter, the 2023 Awards are split into four regions, with the winner of each region going forward to compete in the Global Awards.

Megan Oberholzer RX Africa Portfolio Director Travel, Tourism & Marketing said:

“Congratulations to all the winners of the WTM Responsible Tourism Africa Awards. Your passion, commitment, and innovative approach towards tackling sustainability is truly inspiring. WTM is thrilled to recognise and celebrate your efforts towards creating a positive impact on the environment, local communities, and the tourism industry as a whole.

“It’s remarkable to see how small changes can have such a big impact. From eco-friendly accommodations to community-based tourism initiatives, each winner has shown that sustainability is not only achievable but also profitable. Your success stories are a testament to the fact that responsible tourism is the way forward.

“We wish all the winners the very best at the global awards and hope that your accomplishments will inspire others to follow in your footsteps. Let’s continue to work towards making the tourism industry more responsible and sustainable, one step at a time.”