Earlier this week, Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront won a prestigious award at the World Responsible Tourism Awards in London.
The Waterfront was among several winners of the overall Global Award (award levels range from One to Watch, Silver, Gold then Global). Nominations for the awards came from clients, the public or partners.
A press statement explained that the aim of this category is to “recognise and draw attention to those who successfully helped others, employees and neighbours alike to weather the Covid-19 storm”.
The V&A Waterfront made a significant effort by sustaining their employees and the surrounding communities in which they operate throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
The aim of the awards, which form part of the World Responsible Tourism Day celebrations, is to acknowledge and celebrate destinations that most strongly “educate, inspire and challenge others to spread good practice”.
V&A Waterfront chief executive David Green said: “From the start of the Covid-19 pandemic we knew we had a responsibility to support the many individuals and households who depend on us for their livelihood, particularly the micro enterprises such as our tour operators as well as the crafts and design stores at our Watershed market.
“Our effort was to ease their financial burden beyond rent relief while we also pushed ahead with projects that would create new markets and jobs such as our Makers Landing space and our Joy from Africa to the World festive décor campaign.”
Green went on to add that it was a great honour to be recognised for what they had done: “An award of this stature is a significant win, not just for the Waterfront, but for Cape Town and for our entire tourism industry as it proves that we can hold our own against the best innovative and trendsetting destinations in the world.”
The Waterfront previously won the World Responsible Tourism Award for Best Destination for Responsible Tourism in 2014.