Cape Town Wins Best Destination Tourism Award

Cape Town comes out tops at 2009 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards

The City of Cape Town has won the 2009 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Award in the Best Destination category. The award was presented to the City at a ceremony on World Responsible Tourism Day at the World Travel Market in London.

Executive Deputy Mayor, Alderman Ian Neilson, accepted the award on behalf of the City and said: "It was a great honour for me to receive this award on behalf of the people of Cape Town and its tourism industry. It means that it is not only our city's splendid natural beauty that makes Cape Town a great tourist destination, but also the fact that we have a leading tourism and hospitality industry. Cape Town is ready to greet the world during 2010."

"My congratulations to Cape Town Tourism, Fedhasa, Satsa, SAACI, their members and all players in our tourism industry. Thank you for working together with the City to put our Responsible Tourism Charter in place. This award is yours," Neilson added.

Executive Deputy Mayor Neilson and the City's Executive Director for Economic, Social Development and Tourism Mansoor Mohamed, attended the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards and were also in Europe to conduct other City business.

The Awards were founded in 2004 by responsibletravel.com, which runs the Awards in partnership with The Daily Telegraph, Geographical Magazine - the magazine of The Royal Geographical Society - and World Travel. Virgin Holidays became headline sponsors of the Awards in 2007 and has continued to support it since then.

The central idea of the awards is that all types of tourism - from niche to mainstream - can and should be operated in a way that respects and benefits destinations and local people. The awards recognise individuals, companies and organisations in the travel industry that are making a significant commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and are providing a positive contribution to biodiversity conservation.

Staged annually in London, the global event for the travel industry is a four day business-to-business event presenting a diverse range of destinations and industry sectors to UK and international travel professionals.

It is where global travel trade representatives meet, network, negotiate and conduct business under one roof. By attending World Travel Market, participants stay abreast with the latest developments in the travel industry.

The rest of the world is starting to love Cape Town just as much as we do!

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