Cape Town - The V&A Waterfront has won a global award at the World Responsible Tourism Awards, recognising destinations which educate, challenge and inspire other businesses.
The V&A Waterfront was recognised for their work in “sustaining employees and communities through the pandemic”.
Judges looked at the work done by businesses and organisations in the travel and tourism sector to sustain their employees and the communities in which they operate.
By winning in this category, the V&A Waterfront proved they successfully helped others, including employees and neighbours alike, to persevere through the difficulties of Covid-19.
Speaking about the award, 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.
“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,” he said.
During the pandemic the V&A Waterfront partnered with restaurants and other ecosystem role-players, distributing meals to impoverished communities throughout the Cape Peninsula.
They launched a campaign called Heart of Filling the Belly where the V&A donated a set amount to the campaign for every restaurant meal that visitors bought. An estimated R1.3 million was invested by the V&A into food security during this period.
According to Green, an award of this stature is a significant win not just for the V&A Waterfront, but for Cape Town and the entire tourism industry, as it proves that the city can keep up against the best innovative and trendsetting destinations in the world.
“The timing of the award could not have been better as it coincides with international tourism beginning to open up. We hope it attracts international travellers back to our city,” said Green.
WTM Responsible Tourism is the largest programme in the world focusing on responsible tourism efforts in the travel industry. It takes place in November during World Travel Market London, one of the biggest travel and tourism exhibitions in the world.