This week, from 14 to 18 February, the online (and on-site) world is celebrating the third annual Responsible Tourism Week. Our beautiful Cape Town is considered one of the pioneering destinations in the field of ethical and sustainable tourism (as well as eco-tourism) and here at the Two Oceans Aquarium we like to do our part in not only bolstering our city’s great reputation, but also to do what we can to protect the environment.
You can get involved by spreading awareness about your favourite responsible things to do and see in and around your city. Responsible Tourism Week is very much about supporting the smaller players in the industry, bringing to light the great strides that have been taken in unexpected ways by unlikely players. The invitation: Start talking to those around you about this important issue.
The Aquarium is a very popular destination for tourists from far and wide (who are young and old or in-between), so we always strive to raise awareness of environmental issues and we play an active role in conservation efforts in and around the Cape Peninsula.
Take a look at our Conservation & research blog category to get the lowdown on all the eco-friendly things we’ve been up to: From improving our Heritage Environmental Rating Programme score and selling water in bottles that are 100% renewable at Shoreline Café (which, by the way, is the first African restaurant to pursue Marine Stewardship Council certification – closely connected to our work with sustainable seafood choices), to assisting with the protection and release of wild loggerhead turtles and helping out a sunfish or two, the Two Oceans Aquarium prefers to be hands-on when it comes to lending a hand.
The interesting thing about Responsible Tourism Week is that it’s an “unconference”, and it will take place almost entirely online – it’s very much about the difference we can make by harnessing the power of our social networks.
Find out how you can take part in the third annual Responsible Tourism Week by watching the short video below.
Are you on Twitter? You should follow us here and add the #rtweek2011 tag to your eco-conscious tweets and sustainable tourism suggestions this week!
