12 April 2024. Plettenberg Bay, South Africa –
Plett Tourism is thrilled to announce the remarkable achievement in winning an esteemed Responsible Tourism Award at World Travel Market Africa (WTM Africa) held in Cape Town this week. The accolade, which was presented to Plett Tourism for the Plett Ocean Festival in the category of “Nature-Positive Tourism” as “One to Watch” is a testament to Plett’s passionate and unwavering commitment to sustainable tourism and eco-conscious initiatives within the travel industry.
WTM Africa – and its flagship, World Travel Market, held in London each year – are among the world’s most recognisable travel and tourism expo brands. The WTM Africa event attracts a mix of more than 6000 hosted buyers, inbound and outbound operators, media representatives and travel professionals for an annual event principally staged at the Cape Town International Conference Centre.
WTM Africa’s Responsible Tourism Awards champion the best work in Responsible Tourism on the continent. The awards celebrate those devoted to sustainability, consistently generating positive influence and setting exemplary standards. The primary goal of the awards is to unearth, acknowledge, and promote good practice. Recognising those businesses and destinations demonstrates how fostering transformation and spearheading innovative initiatives is around the welfare and sustainability of tourism.
“We are excited to receive recognition by the tourism industry and the World Travel Market’s Responsible Tourism Awards with a Certificate of Recognition. Receiving a “Nature-Positive award is a testament to Plett Tourism’s commitment to the preservation and harmony of our oceans, marine life and coastline, ” said Plett Tourism CEO, Patty Butterworth at the awards ceremony held yesterday in Cape Town. “To be honoured in this category is not only about recognition by one’s peers but also by the grandest judge of all: nature itself.”
The Plett Ocean Festival has already begun to foster conservation conversations taking place between marine scientists and conservationists, and the general public. Plettenberg Bay’s recognition as a World Cetacean Alliance Whale Heritage Site – one of only eight sites globally – is a direct result of conversations that started at the first Plett Ocean Festival in 2022. Plett Tourism believes that the festival can be a catalyst for positive change and sharing of knowledge, inspiring individuals to become curious citizen scientists and guardians of our oceans.
Plett Tourism extends its gratitude to all partners, volunteers, presenters, NPOs, businesses and attendees whose support has been instrumental in the Plett Ocean Festival’s recognition in the WTM Africa Responsible Tourism Awards and in the success of the festival to date. Butterworth continues, “Through the ocean festival, and other initiatives, we believe that we can collaboratively create a world where tourism thrives, sustainably.”
The 2024 Plett Ocean Festival and Marine Science Symposium will take place from 21 – 30 June, and 21 – 23 June, respectively. Tickets for the symposium – which hosts 26 speakers over three days – have just gone live and Plett Tourism is excited to share that freediver, filmmaker and author Zandile Ndhlovu, the Black Mermaid, will return to the festival as symposium MC and speaker. The full programme can be viewed here.
