Africa is taking its rightful place as a leader in responsible tourism.
Better Tourism Africa (previously the International Centre for Responsible Tourism – South Africa), was established in 2006 to lobby on behalf of the continent’s responsible tourism community.
We also enable tourism businesses, destinations, local people and natural and cultural heritage to thrive. We do so because better places for local people mean better places to visit.
Our Mission
Our mission is to harness tourism to create better places for people to live in better places for people to visit.
We work with government and the private sector in Africa to implement the objectives of Responsible Tourism as described in the Cape Town Declaration.
We believe tourism should help build prosperous and inclusive local economies, healthy natural environments, and celebrate and preserve cultures. Through our continent-wide network of activists we advocate and agitate for responsible tourism.
Latest responsible tourism news
Opening date for the 2019 African Responsible Tourism Awards
Nominations and applications for the 2019 African Responsible Tourism Awards are scheduled to open in September 2018. There’s a range of categories, so most tourism organisations doing good work in responsible tourism can find a
Comment on the responsible tourism grading criteria
Revised Tourism Grading criteria have been published in the Government Gazette and is open for comment. The criteria now also includes responsible tourism criteria, which you can read here. The deadline for submitting comments is
African Responsible Tourism Awards adds a category for best responsible attraction for 2019 awards
The African Responsible Tourism Awards has included a category for the Best Responsible Attraction in their 2019 awards. The category will be awarded to a tourism attraction setting an inspirational and influential example for responsible
Explore our recent work
African Responsible Tourism Awards
The African Responsible Tourism Awards is a continent-wide search for Africa’s most inspiring responsible tourism experiences. It forms part of a global family of awards, culminating in the prestigious World Responsible Tourism Awards. Better Tourism Africa has organised the African awards since its inception in 2015.
Strengthening the WOWZULU model for sustainable community-based tourism
Better Tourism Africa has partnered with KwaZulu-Natal-based rural development agency, Africa!Ignite, on a project funded by UNEP’s 10YFP initiative. The project aims to bring together tourism stakeholders to research, strengthen and document the WOWZULU tourism initiative as a model for sustainable community-based tourism in South Africa.