Cape Town has been working towards becoming a more responsible tourism destination since 2004. This included creating a Tourism Development Framework in partnership with stakeholders and adopting a Responsible Tourism Policy and Action Plan in 2009. The policy focuses on seven priorities for sustainable tourism development. Cape Town received an award in 2009 for being the best responsible tourism destination. However, implementing responsible tourism practices across the industry remained a challenge due to issues like lack of resources and incentives. Efforts continued through 2012 to engage operators and collect data on responsible tourism indicators.

1. Staying on track
Cape Town’s Responsible Tourism Journey
Taking responsibility for tourism
London, 21 June 201
Heidi van der Watt
International Centre for Responsible Tourism – South Africa

2. Sustainable tourism embedded in
2004
City’s Tourism Development
Framework, created in partnership
with industry, citizens and
government
Multi-stakeholder process to create
2007 Responsible Tourism policy starts
EDU

3. 2009 Responsible Tourism Policy & Action
Plan adopted by City Council
2009 Responsible Tourism Charter signed
Water
Seven Solid Waste
consumption
destination
priorities Energy Enterprise
consumption development
Preferential Skills Social
procurement development development

5. Awareness & training
Supporting collateral Reporting at
destination
level on
Data-collection performance
against
priorities
Monitoring & evaluation
Communication campaign

6. 2009 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards: Best Destination
Cape Town

8. DVD

9. Sharing Cape Town’s experience

10. 2011 Association policy statements &
Action Plans developed
Gridlock on data collection
Mostly business “as usual”
not a priority
know-how
resources
incentives
Responsible Tourism Action Team
problem-solving

11. 2012 Working with “community of
Responsible Tourism practitioners”
23 operators recruited by
associations
Cross-section – type & size
“Leading lights”

13. Gathering performance data against priority
indicators
Identifying barriers
Developing solutions
Documenting experience
Destination RT barometer for aggregated
reporting at destination level

14. THANK YOU
DANKIE
ENKOSI
Heidi van der Watt
heidi.keyser@mweb.co.za
+2783 2632269
PHOTOS: Heidi van der Watt, Bruce Sutherland, Coco van Oppens, Grootbos, World Travel Market, Club
Travel, Tourism Community Development Trust