| Date and Time | Subject and Panellists |
| Monday 13 April 10:15 to 11:00 | Conservation and Tourism in the Wildlife Economy
We are publishing a White Paper on Tourism in the Wildlife Economy which will be discussed by a diverse panel of experts and practitioners. Our first panel will focus on ways in which tourism can benefit conservation.
Moderator: Dr Wiseman Ndlovu, Deputy Director, African Wildlife Economy Institute, Stellenbosch
Participants:
Wilfred Chivell CEO Marine Dynamics & Dyer Island Cruises
Oscar Mthimkhulu Managing Executive at Kruger National Park
Isabel Wolf-Gillespie Co-founder, Tswehe Wildlife Reserve |
| Monday 13 April 11:00 to 11:45 | Community and Tourism in the Wildlife Economy Following the publication of the new White Paper on the Wildlife Economy in Africa this panel will explore the impact on communities who live with the wildlife and bear the opportunity costs.
Moderator: Dr Wiseman Ndlovu Deputy Director, African Wildlife Economy Institute, Stellenbosch
Participants:
Traci Kwaai, Storyteller, The fisher child, Kalk Bay
ML Rwebandira, Co-founder, Gorilla Highlands Experts
Glynn O’Leary, CEO, Transfrontier Parks Destinations |
| Monday 13 April 11:45 – 12:45 | Green Claims & Certification, Misselling, Green Washing & Green Hushing Moves in Europe and other source markets to tighten regulations against greenwashing and misselling has caused real concerns, particularly amongst smaller businesses resulting in some greenhushing. This authoritative panel will discuss the risks and identify best practice
Moderator: Debbie Hindle, Chair ICRT global
Participants:
Julie Cheetham CEO Travalyst
Harold Goodwin Founder ICRT global (video presentation)
Emilie Hagedoorn Consultant, Trainer and Coach, Green Heart Tourism
Kgomotso Ramothea CEO African Travel and Tourism Association (ATTA)
Lisa Scriven Founder, Impact for Africa, |
| Monday 13 April 12.45 to 13.15 | Sharing Approaches to Responsible Tourism Through ICRT networks and the work of the ICRT global we’ll demonstrate how sharing experience within and across continents. Come along to hear about how the success of Responsible Tourism in Kerala, built on work in South Africa and The Gambia and to discover how you can benefit from the networks.
Moderator: Ruth Crichton, Regional Head Southern Africa The Long Run and ICRT Southern Africa
Participants:
Wilfred Chivell CEO Marine Dynamics & Dyer Island Cruises
Debbie Hindle Chair ICRT global
Glynn O’Leary Chair ICRT Southern Africa
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| Tuesday 14 April 13:30 – 14:15 | Increasing the value of tourism to the local community: Piggs Peak Hotel, Eswatini Building on the work of Harvard economist Michael Porter of cluster theory fame, Piggs Peak Hotel will explain how it has dramatically increased the economic and social value to the local community and increased its profitability
Moderator: Debbie Hindle Chair, ICRT global
Participants:
Harold Goodwin, Founder ICRT global (by video)
Glynn O’Leary CEO Piggs Peak Hotel |
| Tuesday 14 April 14:15 – 15:00 | Responsible Tourism In Action In 1675 Sir Isaac Newton wrote: “If I see further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants”. The giants of Responsible Tourism are those people who are practicing it, in every corner of the world. We want to share that collective knowledge to speed the adoption of Responsible Tourism practices across Africa and beyond. Previous award winners will give a series of 10 minutes talk about what they took responsibility for and why, what they did and the impact of their approach.
Moderator: Rachel Nxele Board Member South African National Parks (SAN Parks)
Participants:
Wilfred Chivel CEO Marine Dynamics / Dyer Island Cruises
Michael Lutzeyer Owner, Grootbos Private Reserve
Grant Ngcobo CEO Dlala Nje & Michal Luptak Co-founders of Dlala Nje
Michael Daiber CEO of !Khwa ttu San Heritage Centre |
| Tuesday 14 April 15:00-15:30 | Responsible Tourism Across Africa The Responsible Tourism Movement arose from the 1996 South African White Paper on Development and Promotion of Tourism and the 2002 Cape Town Declaration on Responsible Tourism in Destinations. Harold Goodwin has written a WTM Africa White Paper on Responsible Tourism Across Africa.
Moderator: Ruth Crichton Regional Head Southern Africa The Long Run and ICRT Southern Africa
Participants:
Harold Goodwin, Founder ICRT global (by video)
Theuns Viven, Destination Development Manager, City of Cape Town |
| Tuesday 14 April 15.30 to 16.30 followed by networking drinks | The 2026 WTM Africa Responsible Tourism Awards Be inspired by the 2026 winners of the WTM Africa Responsible Tourism Awards contending for Gold, Silver or One-to-Watch accolades in six categories: Local Economic Benefit Diversity Equity and Inclusion Nature Positive Championing Cultural Diversity Adapting to Climate Change Regenerative Tourism
Moderator: Rachel Nxele Board Member South African National Parks (SAN Parks) |
