Established to acknowledge and promote responsible tourism initiatives, the WTM Africa Responsible Tourism Awards highlight efforts that positively impact local communities, economies, and the environment. By showcasing these exemplary practices, the awards aim to inspire others within the industry to adopt sustainable approaches, ensuring that tourism contributes to the well-being of destinations and their inhabitants.
Categories and Criteria of the WTM Africa Responsible Tourism Awards
The WTM Africa Responsible Tourism Awards honour initiatives that make significant contributions to sustainable and ethical tourism across Africa. For 2025, the awards feature six categories, each focusing on a distinct aspect of responsible tourism.
1. Can an All-Inclusive Be Responsible?
This category challenges the perception that all-inclusive holidays are inherently unsustainable. It seeks to recognize all-inclusive establishments—such as resorts, safaris, and cruises—that implement responsible practices. Criteria include:
Inclusivity: Providing affordable holiday options for families with low or modest incomes, ensuring accessibility for differently-abled travellers.
Local Sourcing: Prioritizing the procurement of locally produced food, beverages, furnishings, and staff uniforms to support local economies.
Employment Practices: Hiring local staff on full-time or seasonal contracts, offering additional benefits, and engaging local entertainers and sports activity providers.
Promotion of Local Arts and Crafts: Showcasing and encouraging the purchase of local products within the establishment.
2. Adapting to Climate Change
This category acknowledges tourism businesses that have implemented effective strategies to adapt to the impacts of climate change. With increasing occurrences of extreme weather events, the criteria focus on:
Resilience Building: Developing infrastructure and practices that withstand climate-related challenges such as storms, floods, droughts, and wildfires.
Emission Reduction: Implementing measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions within operations and supply chains.
Regulatory Compliance: Proactively adhering to or exceeding environmental regulations to mitigate future risks.
3. Increasing Local Sourcing – Creating Shared Value
This category celebrates initiatives that enhance local economic development through increased sourcing from local suppliers. Criteria include:
Supply Chain Integration: Establishing partnerships with local farmers, artisans, and service providers to supply goods and services.
Capacity Building: Providing training and support to local suppliers to meet quality and quantity requirements.
Economic Impact: Demonstrating tangible benefits to local communities through job creation and income generation.
4. Peace & Understanding
This category recognizes tourism initiatives that foster peace, cultural understanding, and tolerance. Criteria include:
Cultural Exchange: Facilitating authentic interactions between travellers and local communities to promote mutual respect.
Conflict Resolution: Engaging in or supporting activities that contribute to peacebuilding in regions affected by conflict.
Educational Programs: Offering programs that educate visitors about local cultures, histories, and social issues.
5. Managing Waste: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Upcycle
This category honours businesses that have implemented effective waste management practices. Criteria include:
Waste Reduction: Implementing strategies to minimize waste generation at the source.
Recycling and Upcycling: Establishing systems for recycling materials and creatively repurposing waste into new products.
Community Engagement: Involving local communities in waste management initiatives and raising awareness about environmental conservation.
6. Nature Positive
This category celebrates initiatives that actively contribute to the conservation and restoration of natural ecosystems. Criteria include:
Biodiversity Conservation: Implementing practices that protect and enhance local flora and fauna.
Habitat Restoration: Engaging in activities that restore degraded natural habitats.
Sustainable Practices: Adopting environmentally friendly operations that minimize ecological footprints.
Each category is designed to inspire and challenge the tourism industry to adopt responsible practices that benefit both people and the planet. By recognizing and promoting these initiatives, the WTM Africa Responsible Tourism Awards aim to drive positive change across the continent.
Judging Criteria
1. Evidence-based:Â The panel is looking for evidence of real change, businesses which can convincingly demonstrate positive impacts, or reduced negative impacts, quantified wherever possible.
2. Replicability:Â The Awards aim to inspire change; we seek to identify examples of best practices that can be replicated across the sector and around the world.
3. Innovation:Â The judges are looking for innovative practices that make a real difference, the Awards highlight new good practices, which the judges believe, can, and should, become common practice.
4. Influence:Â We look for businesses and organizations that are not only doing good work themselves but are using their influence to ensure their peers and suppliers do the same.
5. Sustainability and longevity:Â The judges seek to Award those businesses that understand that taking responsibility for tourism is a long journey, that it encompasses the economic, social, and environmental impacts of their activities, and who have a clear vision for the long- term success of the work, with future targets and plans in place.
6. Overall commitment to Responsible Tourism:Â Alongside the category-specific focus, there needs to be a clear overall commitment to positively impacting local communities, economies, cultures, and environments.
Application Process
Interested parties can download the application form from the official WTM Africa website and submit it, along with any supporting materials, to [sharon.murray@rxglobal.com].
To read more info about this award visit the WTM Africa Responsible Tourism Awards website
Nature Positive
WINNER: Denis Private Island – Seychelles
The island promotes sustainability and conservation, making it a perfect getaway for those looking to unplug and reconnect with nature.
Denis Private Island is an exclusive eco-retreat located in the remote northern territory of the Seychelles. This luxurious island offers private cottages and villas, excellent game fishing, and scuba diving in complete harmony with nature. With pristine beaches, a sea turtle sanctuary, and a variety of rare bird species, it’s a paradise for nature lovers.
Employing and Upskilling Local Communities
WINNER: Grootbos Lodge & the Green Futures College – South Africa
The Green Futures College, part of the Grootbos Foundation, provides accredited training in horticulture, life skills, and eco-tourism to unemployed young adults. The program aims to equip students with the skills needed to work in the green economy and contribute to conservation efforts. Since its inception, the college has graduated over 118 students, with many findings employment in the eco-tourism sector.
Grootbos Lodge is a luxury eco-reserve located near the southern tip of Africa, nestled between mountains, forests, and the sea. It offers a range of unique lodges and private villas, each designed to blend harmoniously with the pristine natural environment. The lodge is renowned for its biodiversity, including over 100 endangered plant species and the famous “Marine Big Five” (whale, shark, dolphin, penguin, and great white shark). Guests can enjoy activities like game fishing, scuba diving, and guided nature walks.
Making Tourism Inclusive
WINNER: Warrior on Wheels Foundation – South Africa
By organizing these activities, the foundation helps change perceptions of ability and bridges gaps between able-bodied and differently-abled communities.
The Warrior on Wheels Foundation is a non-profit organization based in South Africa, founded in October 2015 by Deidre Gower. The foundation was established out of Gower’s desire to ensure that her wheelchair-bound, special needs son could experience life to the fullest. The foundation aims to uplift and empower children with disabilities by providing them with special adventures tailored to their needs. These adventures include activities like ziplining, river rafting, surfing, horse riding, boat trips, aquarium and museum visits, and more.
What are you doing about Climate Change?
WINNER: Ecodrop – Zimbabwe
By promoting eco-friendly hydration, Ecodrop is making a positive impact on both the environment and the people of Zimbabwe.
Ecodrop is a Zimbabwean initiative aimed at reducing plastic waste by providing accessible and affordable purified drinking water. Founded in 2011, Ecodrop offers refill stations in Victoria Falls and other locations, where visitors can fill their reusable bottles with cold, clean water purified through reverse osmosis. The initiative not only helps protect the environment but also supports local communities by recycling used bottles and donating a portion of the proceeds to charities.
Increasing Local Sourcing
WINNER: Okavango Gin
Okavango Gin offers a unique taste of the African wilderness and supports conservation efforts in the region.
Okavango Gin is a premium gin distilled and bottled in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. Founded by a group of naturalists, safari guides, and botany enthusiasts, Okavango Gin is inspired by the pristine wilderness of the delta1. The gin is crafted using pure Okavango water and botanicals like Mopane tree seeds, creating an earthy, pure, and rustic flavor. The distillery is off-grid and committed to sustainable practices, providing employment opportunities to the local community.
Championing Cultural Diversity
WINNER: Trip to Help – Kenya & Tanzania through an online agency registered in Spain
By choosing Trip to Help, travelers can enjoy unforgettable adventures while making a meaningful difference in the destinations they visit.
Trip to Help is an online travel agency based in Spain that offers sustainable and responsible tourism experiences in Kenya and Tanzania. Founded with a mission to create positive social and cultural impacts, Trip to Help partners with local communities and NGOs to ensure that travelers contribute to local projects and conservation efforts. Their trips include safaris, cultural immersions, and community-based tourism experiences, all designed to support education, health, and women’s empowerment programs.
