About the African Responsible Tourism Awards
Heroes of responsible tourism in Africa will be honoured at the 2015 African Responsible Tourism Awards. This inaugural event forms part of the prestigious World Responsible Tourism Awards, the world’s most respected responsible tourism awards. Winners of the African awards will automatically be entered into the global awards.
With its unique natural and cultural landscapes, Africa offers many opportunities for responsible tourism. Tourism organisations are already growing tourism that preserves, respects and benefits African destinations and African people. The African Responsible Tourism Awards aims to celebrate the efforts made by individuals, organisations and destinations in Africa. The awards also aim to inspire change in the African tourism industry.
The awards will be presented at a ceremony hosted as part of the Africa Travel Week to be held in Cape Town from13 – 17 April 2015. Winners will be announced to an audience of destination managers, industry professionals and media.
About the Judges
The African Responsible Tourism Awards judging process is chaired by Harold Goodwin, Professor of Responsible Tourism at Manchester Metropolitan University and Founder of the International Centre for Responsible Tourism, and draws on the expertise of carefully chosen professionals from throughout the tourism industry in Africa.
Read about our Judges below.
Harold Goodwin
Chair of Judges, and Professor of Responsible Tourism at Manchester Metropolitan University and Director of the International Centre for Responsible Tourism. The ICRT is a community of Responsible Tourism Practitioners in business, government, NGOs, conservation and heritage. The ICRT is for Responsible Tourism. Their work focuses on the principles of the Cape Town Declaration on Responsible Tourism in Destinations, working in originating markets and destinations around the world, to harness tourism to make “better places for people to live in and for people to visit.” They work with governments, tour operators and accommodation providers to realise the aspirations of the Responsible Tourism Movement in which we have played a major part since 1997.
Harold drafted the Cape Town Declaration on Responsible Tourism in Destinations in 2002 which defined the agenda for change and has written extensively on responsible tourism and worked with UK companies and with governments in Bhutan, South Africa and The Gambia to develop and implement responsible tourism policies. He is a partner in the Pro-Poor Tourism Partnership and Director of the Responsible Tourism Partnership.
Heidi van der Watt
Heidi is the founder of the International Centre for Responsible Tourism – South Africa and owner of EDGE Tourism Solutions, based in South Africa. Much of her work over the last 2 decades has been in regional and local economic development in developing countries – places where tourism can play a significant role in improving quality of life and safeguarding the environment. Heidi’s expertise in sustainable tourism has been enhanced by her Masters degree in Town and Regional Planning. Apart from projects in Southern Africa, Heidi has worked on tourism projects in other parts of Africa, India and Russia.
Heidi has helped shape South Africa’s vision as a responsible tourism destination. She developed a National Strategy for Responsible Tourism for the Department of Tourism, played a key role in the development of the Responsible Tourism Guidelines, and managed the development of Cape Town’s Responsible Tourism Policy and Action Plan and the national Minimum Standard for Responsible Tourism. Heidi holds leadership positions in a number of African organisations, including the Sustainable Tourism Certification Alliance Africa and the Sustainable Tourism Partnership Programme. Heidi is also a Director of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council and a member of the WTM Responsible Tourism Advisory Panel.
David Frost
Jacques Stoltz
Adama Bah
Lee Hendor Ruiters
(National Cleaner Production Centre South Africa)
Colin Bell
Webber Ndoro
(African World Heritage Fund)
Categories
Best for Poverty Reduction
The Best for Poverty Reduction is awarded to a tourism business, organisation or initiative with a creative and long-term approach to reducing poverty among local communities.
Who should be nominated: With this category we are looking for holiday providers that offer memorable experiences and activities that seek to reduce and prevent poverty in a local community.
What the judges want: A tourism organisation that can prove significant reduction of poverty in a local community, a long-term sustainable vision for continuing their work, and providing a working example for others tourism providers around the world.
Best for Beach Tourism
The Best for Beach Tourism is awarded to a tourism business, organisation or initiative providing or contributing to responsible holidays in beach settings.
Who should be nominated: Beach holiday providers (accommodation and tour operators) that conserve beach environments and respect local communities.
What the judges want: Leadership in responsible tourism policies and practices in a beach setting, positive integration and relationships with local communities, and proven achievements in maintaining and conserving beach environments.
Best Destination for Responsible Tourism
The Best Destination for Responsible Tourism category is awarded to a holiday destination setting an inspirational and influential example for responsible tourism.
Who should be nominated: Destinations that put their community and environment at the heart of memorable tourism experiences and use tourism to improve conditions for both residents and visitors. Entrants can be a village, town, city, region or country that inspires and promotes responsible holiday experiences that celebrate and protect the best of their destination.
What the judges want: A destination with a committed and broad integrated approach to responsible tourism, one that inspires and excites, and provides an example of best practice for other destinations around the world.
Best for Engaging People & Culture
Best for Engaging People & Culture is awarded to a tourism business, organisation or initiative that puts the exploration and appreciation of local people and their cultures at the heart of memorable tourism experiences.
Who should be nominated: The Awards are committed to the idea that holidays are better and more enjoyable when they’re organised with the local community and culture in mind, respect is a core value of responsible tourism. The Best for engaging people and culture category seeks to shine a light on the best examples of holidays which involve and celebrate local people, traditions and ways of life.
What the judges want: Tourism providers with deep, long-standing connections and commitments to the local community, and exciting policies and practices for celebrating local cultures and ways of life.
Best Blog for Responsible Tourism
Best Blog for Responsible Tourism is a new category to be awarded to a blogger who encourages and inspires travellers to holiday responsibly.
Who should be nominated: Bloggers who showcase how responsible tourism makes better, more enjoyable holiday experiences. This includes bloggers that make responsible travel decisions, choosing responsible tourism experiences, raise awareness of responsible tourism and blog about how responsible tourism is meaningful for both travellers and destinations.
What the judges want: An engaging blog that captures the excitement of the holiday experience for travellers as well as the benefits for destinations, people and the environment.
Best for resource management
Best for resource management is awarded to a tourism organisation working to reduce and manage their water, and/or energy consumption and/or reduce their waste levels through innovative and replicable activities. By taking a moment to award innovative steps in water, energy and waste reduction, we aim to highlight best practice and discover initiatives which can serve as examples for other providers.
Who should be nominated:Accommodation, transport provider or tour operator run with an innovative approach to resource management in a destination.
What the judges want: Tourism organisations with innovative policies and replicable practices for reducing water and energy use and waste levels; a proven track record of achievement in the form of comparative data; a commitment to the future, and a model for leadership in the industry
