It's amazing to see how Chem Chem acknowledges that successful conservation requires community involvement. Their impact report highlights impressive numbers, showcasing their intertwined efforts for both conservation protection and community empowerment.
Desert & Delta Safaris goes far beyond offering a sustainable safari experience. They promote strong environmental stewardship, support and empower local communities and female staff, and preserve Botswana’s heritage for future generations – all while providing a meaningful travel experience.
Saruni Basecamp presents a great example of how to collaborate with indigenous communities, involving them in local nature and culture conservation efforts. Saruni Basecamp not only supports but truly empowers locals, providing regular income and enabling them to benefit from their cultural heritage.
This award recognises an organisation that offers ethical wildlife tour experiences that respects animal welfare (captive and wild), educates tourists and have demonstrated a significant contribution to natural habitat conservation and the reduction of human wildlife conflict.
The impact of the efforts of Chumbe Island Coral Park (CHICOP) is evident in its successful conservation outcomes and community benefits. The park has achieved significant biodiversity preservation with high densities of fish and coral species. Studies have shown the effectiveness of the spillover effect, which benefits local fisheries. The park's initiatives have also led to improved livelihoods for community members and greater environmental awareness. CHICOP's model of sustainable park management, funded by ecotourism, serves as an exemplary case for conservation efforts globally.
Great Plains Conservation’s holistic approach integrates community engagement, wildlife protection, and habitat restoration. They effectively empower local communities through education, employment, and sustainable development opportunities fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility for conservation. Their sustainable tourism model educates guests and funds conservation projects.
Malaria-free Sibuya Game Reserve is a Big-5 eco destination, positioned on the Sunshine Coast of the Eastern Cape of South Africa.
Sibuya Game Reserve has placed considerable emphasis on conservation and education of communities, which is key in ensuring sustainability.
Asilia Africa (Rubondo Island Camp) has prioritised the use of renewable energy, use of electric vehicles, and working with other organisations in monitoring and combating emissions as well as supporting local initiatives.
Far and Wild Travel shows great commitment to climate change through their initiatives and have set a financial plan with a timeline for continued improvement. Their carbon scoring system in their planning and executing of tailored trips is an attractive driving force to travellers, seeking to participate in efforts that have little negative impact on the local ecosystem, and that set a commendable standard for responsible tourism practices in the industry.
Green Safaris immerses visitors in the natural environment to leave both traveller and world transformed for the better. Green Safaris pioneers eco-motivated twists on the classic, luxury safari which elevate the guest experience, and each guest directly powers the work to protect and nurture Africa’s pristine ecosystems, wildlife and communities.
Amazing initiatives and reporting by Green Safaris. The organisation has contributed immensely to education, sustainable farming, healthcare and embracing e-transport. Their commitment to continuously adopting zero-emission and impact technologies in their operations is something to marvel at, as they strive to improve their operations and minimize impacts for their travellers, communities and local ecosystems.
This award celebrates organisations that prioritise seasonal, local and indigenous produce, working with ethical suppliers, minimising food waste, and educating guests and other stakeholders.
The Dusty Road Township Experience is a glorious township restaurant in Victoria Falls that combines a wonderful array of local food with an opportunity for customers to really interact with local people. Through the menus, they fund both the education of children and support female empowerment projects.
Hatari Lodge, together with their partnerships and education of over 30 small scale farmers plus their Wondergarden, is an extraordinary example of what can be achieved in slow cuisine from a sustainable agriculture and community engagement perspective.
An extraordinary example of a totally holistic approach to a sustainable food initiative, which educates guests and so many people in the local community. Combined with some original thinking, Lemala Camps and Lodges are a brilliant case study globally.
We’re beyond impressed at how far this initiative has come considering it was only started in Covid times. To see both the practical benefits to the wider community of waste disposal and recycling, and the soft power of the education and community immersion is superb. African Monarch Lodges provides a best-in-class example of how tourism and local communities really can co-exist and both profit from a financial and emotional perspective.
Gamewatchers is an exclusive tour company that specialises in delivering tailored safaris to small camps and lodges in Africa, committed to helping preserve Africa’s unique wildlife, landscapes and local communities. Gamewatchers Safaris is one of the longest established safari outfitters based in East Africa.
Gamewatchers have long been a pioneer in eco-tourism, and it is good to see new partnerships thriving. Their holistic approach and efforts in all spheres, including education, social and well-being, as well as their environment and conservation efforts, are remarkable!
An incredible example by Green Safaris of a totally holistic approach that covers not just the community but the minorities in a community as well.
There are many amazing charities that focus on Africa, but what Holly has achieved in both how she presents the female ranger role alongside its challenges in an unusual and design-led way is so powerful. This is evidenced in How Many Elephants media and fundraising achievements, that has each year built on this momentum very successfully having moved from Female Ranger Day to Female Ranger Week.
Gamewatchers is an exclusive tour company that specialises in delivering tailored safaris to small camps and lodges in Africa, committed to helping preserve Africa’s unique wildlife, landscapes and local communities. Gamewatchers Safaris is one of the longest established safari outfitters based in East Africa.
Through the detailed application form complimented by the supportive content, Gamewatchers Safari & Porini Camps provided a very intense account of the enterprise’s collaborative initiatives towards climate and social justice. Their numerous partnerships, such as that with Maarifa Foundation, the Smart Learning Project, Wi-Learn, and PadMad, to name a few, have shown true impact.
Niarra Travel was founded in 2020 by a small, experienced team with the support of the Oppenheimer Generations community. Operating on two leading principles: transparency and purpose, Niarra creates unforgettable trips to inspiring places while directing more tourism revenue to the people and communities that are protecting our increasingly fragile natural world.
Niarra Travel, though a young company, has managed to intentionally step up into the space of influencing tourism industry transformation. They are making impactful strides towards ensuring that most of the revenue generated from tourism, and its related activities, remains in the destination to impact the destination, improve the development of the destination, and ensure value for tourism involvement. Their collaborative relationship with product partners has been instrumental in this achievement.
Steppes Travel takes on the tour operator’s role as an influencer and actor in ensuring the tourism industry not only transforms to a more sustainable one, but also intentionally contributes to sustainable development with a clear contribution to empowerment for female guides. They have notably collaborated with African Bush Camps. Though the enterprise works in numerous tourism destinations worldwide, their commitment to impact positively on Africa as a tourism destination is categorical.
This award recognises a buyer that educates travellers on how to be better visitors in order to make a more positive impact on tourism in Africa.
Asilia Africa has demonstrated an intentional move towards the nurturing of passion and commitment towards conservation among young people from a tender age in a progressive manner. They have demonstrated the capability to monitor progress of the participants and managed to further motivate the most active participants into an incentivised cut into securing scholarship. The fact that they sponsor the participation makes it somewhat accessible for the interested candidates. Commendably, they are working with schools, which by far is a proper and yieldful channel to influence proactiveness in conservation matters.
EcoTraining has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to promote knowledge of responsible tour guiding expertise across Africa and beyond. The initiative has prepared a commendable number of tour guides into the African tourism environment through partnership consultancies, active training and progressive educational support. The initiative positions itself as a learning institution making it a knowledge transfer hub for nurturing responsible tour guiding ambassadors, employees and enthusiasts for the industry.
Let’s Go Travel Uniglobe is a leading sustainable and inclusive travel management company in East Africa. Established in 1979 with their head office Nairobi, Kenya, they are IATA-approved and automated, offering computerised reservations, ticketing and personalised travel experiences. Let’s Go Travel Uniglobe have implemented a comprehensive set of social and environmental initiatives, focused on raising awareness about conserving the environment, empowering communities, and fostering a new generation of sustainability champions.
Let’s Go Travel has immensely demonstrated their commitment to ensuring their sustainability efforts are widely known, experienced and witnessed through their website, initiative beneficiaries, youth integration and capacity-building efforts among other interventions including the creative idea of caring for senior citizens. They also highlighted numerous evidence in the form of documentation, videos or online material, which further complimented their detailed application.
