On 4 April, Wildlife ACT won the Gold Award for ‘Best Nature-Positive Tourism’ at the WTM Africa Responsible Tourism Awards. This significant award recognised the organisation as first place in Africa for this category - a tremendous achievement for our team.
Wildlife ACT’s Bookkeeper, Katie Bradley; and Fundraisings and Partnerships Manager, Pippa Orpen attended the event at WTM Africa’s Spotlight Theatre in Cape Town to accept the award.
This Gold Award for Best Nature-Positive Tourism highlights the importance of our voluntourism model, which goes hand-in-hand with the essential conservation work performed by our team and valued partners.
We are extremely thankful for this recognition by WTM Africa and would like to take this opportunity to offer our sincerest thanks to all the conservation partners and dedicated volunteers who have made what we do possible.
“We are delighted to be awarded gold in Best Nature-Positive Tourism. Our team works incredibly hard, rolling up their sleeves every day helping to save endangered and priority wildlife species. This award recognises our teams’ dedication, and validates Wildlife ACT’s unique sustainable tourism model which enables us to deliver important conservation outcomes. I could not be prouder.”
– Johan Maree, Co-Founder of Wildlife ACT.
From the outset Wildlife ACT established a tour operating company which developed a number of “voluntourism”-based models to allow people to support and contribute to important conservation efforts across the continent through their active participation.
This volunteer model has proven to be successful in achieving conservation goals, funding conservation efforts, and also fostering a sense of community and shared responsibility for the protection of wildlife species.
Find out more about becoming a wildlife conservation volunteer here.
RELATED POST: Model of Responsible Voluntourism: Infographic
