The WTM Africa Responsible Tourism Awards 2026, held today in Cape Town, have once again spotlighted the growing strength of impact-driven tourism across the continent, with 22 organisations recognised for delivering measurable results across people, places and nature.

Spanning five categories – Championing Cultural Diversity, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Local Economic Benefit, Nature Positive, and Regenerative Tourism – the awards celebrate practical, proven initiatives that go beyond intention and demonstrate real outcomes on the ground.

For Africa’s Eden, the results are particularly encouraging, with several members and regional projects represented across the winners list, reinforcing the region’s growing reputation for responsible, community-connected tourism.

Jillian Blackbeard, CEO of Africa’s Eden, commented:

“Congratulations to our many members and Community & Conservation Partners recognised in this year’s awards. We are incredibly proud of each and every one of these projects and the real impact they are making across our region. It’s encouraging to see this momentum building year on year, and we look forward to even more projects gaining traction and delivering measurable results in the future.

Initiatives like this reinforce the importance of collaboration, and we encourage our community to explore our partnership with Sigma International as a pathway to help bring even more impactful projects to life in the year ahead.”

The awards, run in partnership with the International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT), continue to challenge the industry with a simple but powerful question: can you prove your impact?