• TravelBizNews > News > Personality / Awards > African Responsible Tourism award winners

    African Responsible Tourism award winners

    April 22, 2017
    Personality / Awards
    African Responsible Tourism award winners

    TraavelBizNews —

    Cape Town : WTM Africa discussed issues of MICE tourism , topical trends, insightful case studies and reports on how this industry is evolving on the African continent this week in Cape town.

    “ibtm africa 2017 was once again presented in a new and engaging format this year,” said Chardonnay Marchesi, General Manager of Africa Travel Week, which incorporates ibtm africa.

    The Sports & Events Tourism Exchange is to form an integral part of Africa Travel Week in 2018, a collaboration that will bring together travel professionals and potential sports tourism events, in a bid to increase the number of events hosted on the African continent according to the organizers.

    Meanwhile , WTM Africa 2017 revealed  the winners of African Responsible Tourism Awards. The champions of responsible tourism in Africa were announced as follows:

    •         Overall Winners – Blood Lions and Coffee Shack

    •         Best Accommodation for Social Inclusion supported by Better Tourism Africa:

               –   Gold winner: Coffee Shack Backpackers (South Africa)

               –    Silver: The Backpack (South Africa)

               –    Silver: Wilderness Safaris Damaraland Camp (Namibia)

    •         Best for Engaging People & Culture supported by Transfrontier Parks Destinations

                –   Gold: Ilha Blue Island Safaris (Mozambique)

                 –  Silver: Maboneng Arts (South Africa)

    •         Best for Habitat & Species Conservation supported by Cape Nature

                –  Gold: All Out Africa (Swaziland)

    o       Silver: Wildlife ACT (South Africa)

    •         Best Partnership for Poverty Reduction supported by Africa Ignite

              – Gold winner: Isibindi African Lodges

               – Silver winner: Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge

    •         Best Responsible Event supported by BulkSMS

              -Gold winner: MTN Bushfire (Swaziland)

              –Silver: Tour de Tuli (Botswana, South Africa & Zimbabwe)

    •         Best Responsible Tourism Campaign supported by Cape Town Pass

               – Gold: Blood Lions (South Africa)

    •         Best Tour Operator for Impact in Urban Areas supported by Marine Dynamics:

              – Gold winner: Uthando (South Africa)

    Source : WTM Africa , April 22, 2017

    Other News

    • Connecting you with the world of travel and tourism

      Theme Park Expo Vietnam 2025

      Asia Pool & Spa Expo , May 10 – 12, 2025 , Guangzhou , China

      KAZAKHSTAN International Exhibition “Tourism & Travel” Almaty, Kazakhstan

      CHINA- Beyond your imagination

      Gulf Cooperation Council Tourism 

      Dubai – As tourism destinations in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) continue to grow, involving local communities in destination development has become increasingly vital for long-term success.

      Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Strategy 2030 aims for 39.3 million visitors per year, while Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 targets 150 million domestic and international visits, emphasising how tourism is being established as a key element of economic diversification throughout the region.

      At Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2025, industry leaders emphasised that sustainable revitalisation of destinations must align tourism investments with community partnerships, cultural authenticity, and immersive guest experiences to provide lasting value for both residents and visitors.

      During the session on “Considerations and Implications of Involving Communities in Destination Revitalisation” on the ATM 2025 Global Stage, experts shared insights into building resilience, enhancing local prosperity, and ensuring tourism growth is both inclusive and enduring.

      Arabian Travel Market 2025, held under the theme “Global Travel: Developing Tomorrow’s Tourism Through Enhanced Connectivity”,  featured more than 200 speakers across three content stages and welcomes over 55,000 travel professionals from 166 countries.

      Messe Berlin India launched 

      to drive growth of ITB India 

      Messe Berlin announces the official launch of Messe Berlin India, a newly incorporated subsidiary that underscores the company’s long-term commitment to one of Asia’s fastest-growing markets. Headquartered in Delhi , the new entity will serve as a strategic base for expanding ITB India and launching future projects tailored to the Indian market. With this establishment, Messe Berlin is reinforcing its vision of India as a regional hub for innovation, collaboration, and sustainable business growth within the exhibition and events industry.

      “Messe Berlin’s presence in India reflects our strategic intent to strengthen our international reach by being where the growth is. India is a key market for us — vibrant, diverse, and full of opportunities. With Messe Berlin India, we are laying down long-term foundations to build strong partnerships, support local industries, and elevate our global platforms,” said Dr. Mario Tobias, CEO, Messe Berlin.

      ITB India, inaugurated in 2023, continues as the flagship event under the new subsidiary. Held annually, ITB India is a three-day B2B travel trade show and convention that connects the global travel and tourism industry with the Indian market. Alongside MICE Show India, Travel Tech India, and the ITB India Conference, ITB India serves as a unique platform to forge new partnerships, strengthen existing ties, and capitalize on the fast-growing potential of the Indian and South Asian travel economies. The show hosts key players from the MICE, Leisure, Corporate Travel, and Travel Technology sectors. The upcoming edition, ITB India 2025, will take place from 2 – 4 September 2025  in Mumbai.

      FACTS —

      Tourism helps in:

      👉Reducing poverty

      👉Reducing Inequalities

      👉Promoting gender equality

      👉Fostering decent work and economic growth

      World Tourism Day 2021: ‘Tourism for Inclusive Growth’

      In 2019, Travel & Tourism’s direct, indirect and induced impact accounted for:
      -US$8.9 trillion contribution to the world’s GDP
      -10.3% of global GDP
      -330 million jobs, 1 in 10 jobs around the world
      -US$1.7 trillion visitor exports (6.8% of total exports,
      28.3% of global services exports)
      -US$948 billion capital investment (4.3% of total
      investment)

      Best Tourism Villages 2024

      ” Nihao ! China ” Silk Road Tourism