ENTRIES NOW OPEN FOR THE 2025 RESPONSIBLE TOURISM AWARDS

By Martin Chemhere

The WTM Africa Responsible Tourism Awards 2025 are now open for entries, offering a platform to celebrate and recognize those driving positive change within the tourism sector. With a submission deadline of 19 March 2025, Africa Travel Week (ATW) encourages responsible tourism businesses to participate in this prestigious event.

These annual awards, as stated by Megan De Jager, Portfolio Director for RX Africa, are dedicated to acknowledging exceptional efforts that leverage tourism as a force for good. They aim to honor initiatives that effectively address critical global challenges while simultaneously enriching the travel experience for visitors.

A panel of industry experts, under the guidance of Dr. Harold Goodwin, WTM Africa’s Responsible Tourism Advisor, will meticulously evaluate the entries. The awards encompass six key categories for 2025: All-Inclusive Tourism: Can it be Responsible?; Adapting to Climate Change; Increasing Local Sourcing (to Create Shared Value); Peace & Understanding; Managing Waste: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Upcycle; and Nature Positive Travel. These categories reflect the diverse aspects of responsible tourism and the pressing issues facing the industry.

The winners will be revealed live at WTM Africa, held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) on 10 April 2025. This provides a significant platform for winners to gain recognition and showcase their achievements. Furthermore, Gold winners in each category will have the distinct opportunity to compete in the global Responsible Tourism Awards later in 2025, offering international exposure and recognition.

De Jager highlights Africa’s consistent success in the global awards, with previous years seeing the region secure up to five awards, including a win last year. This success underscores the region’s dedication, innovative spirit, and commitment to responsible tourism practices.

Entry to the awards is free and straightforward, making it accessible to a wide range of businesses. However, interested parties are urged to act quickly, as the deadline for submissions is fast approaching on Wednesday, 19 March 2025.

De Jager concludes with a powerful message, emphasizing the transformative potential of tourism and encouraging those who share this vision to seize the opportunity to be recognized as leaders in responsible tourism and gain global recognition for their contributions.