Responsible Tourism Africa White Paper Launches

A new International Centre for Responsible Tourism global (ICRT global) report for WTM Africa tracing Africa’s pivotal role in shaping the global responsible tourism movement will be unveiled in Cape Town next week, setting the stage for a panel discussion on how the continent can accelerate progress in sustainable and inclusive tourism.

The panel discussion on responsible tourism across Africa will run on Tuesday 14 April from 15.00 to 15.30 in the Inspire Theatre at WTM Africa in Cape Town. Ruth Crichton, regional head of Africa for The Long Run and ICRT Southern Africa will moderate including a video presentation by Harold Goodwin and contributions from Thuens Viven, destination development manager for the City of Cape Town.

The WTM Africa publication, Responsible Tourism Across Africa, was authored by Professor Emeritus Harold Goodwin and ICRT global founder. It charts the evolution of the movement from its origins in South Africa’s 1996 White Paper to its influence across the world. The South Africa White Paper was the first national tourism policy anywhere to embed Responsible Tourism, defining it as “tourism that promotes responsibility to the environment through its sustainable use; responsibility to involve local communities in the tourism industry; responsibility for the safety and security of visitors…” It argued that “responsible tourism is not a luxury for South Africa. It is an absolute necessity.”

Goodwin’s report highlights how this early policy leadership laid the foundation for the 2002 Cape Town Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations, which produced the Cape Town Declaration  – now widely regarded as the founding document of the global movement. The Declaration called for tourism that “minimises negative economic, environmental, and social impacts” and “generates greater economic benefits for local people,” principles that have since been adopted and adapted across continents. The Declaration was updated in the 2022 Responsible Tourism Charter, signed on Magna Carta Island, which reinforces the need for transparent reporting, local action on global issues, and tourism that creates “better places for people to live in and better places for people to visit.”

Africa’s leadership is also reflected in the long-running Responsible Tourism Awards, which have recognised 217 African businesses and destinations since 2004. South Africa leads with 94 initiatives, followed by Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia and Tanzania. ICRT global has launched a searchable database of Prior winners of the Africa Responsible Tourism Awards and notes that African winners have excelled in areas such as community empowerment, conservation, and inclusive employment.

Harold Goodwin, who founded ICRT global and has chaired the awards since their inception, said the report is intended not just as a record but as a catalyst. “Responsible Tourism has always been about taking responsibility for what we can change, where we are,” he said. “We don’t need perfection to make progress. We need honesty about impacts, clarity about priorities, and the courage to act. Africa has shown that leadership comes from practice, not rhetoric.”

The report also explores how African experience has influenced destinations far beyond the continent. Kerala’s now‑celebrated responsible tourism programme in India, for example, drew directly on South African approaches to community involvement and local supply chains. As the report notes, “South‑South exchange can accelerate progress,” a theme likely to resonate strongly at WTM Africa.

The launch at WTM Africa is expected to draw significant attention from policymakers, operators, and community leaders. The accompanying panel will examine the lessons of two decades of practice, the role of awards and data in driving change, and the opportunities for African destinations to lead the next phase of responsible tourism globally.

Image credit: WTM Africa Responsible Tourism Award winners 2025