WTM Virtual and the lead-up event London Travel Week are promoting responsible tourism as a key topic for the future of the sector.
WTM Virtual is hosting eight conference sessions on responsible tourism, on 10 and 11 November, including: Resilience & COVID-19 which will discuss how tourism can find a path through this crisis; Build Back Better on ways to ensure the future of tourism is more sustainable than the past; Decarbonising Aviation; Racism in Tourism; and Certification and Consumer Choice.
To find out more and register to attend, click here.
Meanwhile, on the 04 November 2020, London Travel Week hosted interviews with leaders from across the industry on topics around sustainable and responsible tourism, and announced the recipients of the World Responsible Tourism Awards 2020.
“In this year, when the world faces a global pandemic, it seemed inappropriate to continue with the World Responsible Tourism Awards as usual. It is not ‘business as usual’, and the crisis is likely to continue for some time.”
This year the World Responsible Tourism Awards categories were a little different to what they normally are. WTM Responsible Tourism Advisor Professor Harold Goodwin explained, “In this year, when the world faces a global pandemic, it seemed inappropriate to continue with the World Responsible Tourism Awards as usual. It is not ‘business as usual’, and the crisis is likely to continue for some time.
“This year the judges decided to commend businesses and destinations which are taking responsibility and addressing the challenge of Covid-19 and to Highly Commend and Commend businesses and destinations. The judges wanted to recognise those who have taken responsibility and addressed the many challenges of the pandemic.”
The new categories this year are: Business Support, Meaningful Connections, Domestic Tourism, Community Support, Innovation, Neighbours and Employees, and Wildlife.
All entries required a nomination, either from clients, the public or partners. The judges then assessed these nominations to select those businesses and destinations which they believe are educating, inspiring and challenging others to make tourism better and spread good practice.
Of those who were acknowledged in the awards, eight are South African. These are:
Business Support – Highly Commended
Fund Raising – Highly Commended
Fund Raising – Commended
- Isibindi Africa Lodges, South Africa & Zimbabwe
Neighbours and Employees – Highly Commended
Neighbours and Employees – Commended
For the full list of winners, click here.
