Reason 1: The National Museum of Tanzania ensures the sustainability of Tanzanian culture and History by promoting cultural tourism through the iconic artefacts and heritage sites.

Reason 2: Local visitor engagement: In early 2023, National Museum of Tanzania emerged as the leading attraction for local tourists, receiving significant investments (around 2.45 billion TSh) to enhance exhibitions via COVID‑19 recovery funds.

Reason 3: Natural history and biodiversity advocacy through its National Natural History Museum in Arusha, National Museum of Tanzania contributes significantly to conservation awareness and action. It supports the Biodiversity Conservation Center, fostering research and public education on ecosystem protection.

Profile - National Museum of Tanzania

Reason 1: I am honored to nominate VistaVoyage Travel Group for the Championing Sustainability Award at the Africa Tourism Leadership Awards 2025. Our company has built its foundation on the belief that tourism must not only create memorable experiences for travelers but also protect our environment, uplift communities, and leave a positive legacy for generations to come. VistaVoyage Travel Group has already been recognized by EcoTourism Kenya for our commitment to sustainable tourism practices. This recognition affirms our dedication to integrating eco-friendly policies, conservation-focused itineraries, and responsible travel principles into every aspect of our operations.

Reason 2: Beyond travel services, VistaVoyage has embedded corporate social responsibility at the heart of its business model. Some of our notable CSR initiatives highlighted on our website include: - Community Empowerment: We work with local communities in Kenya to promote cultural tourism while ensuring they directly benefit economically and socially from hosting visitors. - Education Support: Through our CSR page, we have highlighted initiatives where we contribute towards educational programs and opportunities that empower young people, particularly in underprivileged communities. - Environmental Conservation: VistaVoyage actively promotes eco-conscious itineraries that encourage wildlife conservation, reduced carbon footprint travel, and support for community-led conservation projects. - Philanthropic Efforts: We have participated in charitable initiatives that focus on giving back to society, demonstrating that our mission extends beyond profit into impact-driven tourism.

Reason 3: Sustainability for us goes beyond the environment, it also means building resilient tourism economies. By promoting lesser-known tourism circuits in Kenya and East Africa, such as Western and Northern Kenya tourism circuits and visiting Uganda's less visited attractions. we: - Reduce overtourism pressure on traditional hotspots. - Spread economic benefits more equitably across rural communities. - Support local businesses and service providers, thereby strengthening the value chain. VistaVoyage Travel Group should be considered for the Championing Sustainability Award because we have demonstrated: - Leadership in Responsible Tourism, recognition by EcoTourism Kenya and continuous integration of sustainability into our operations. - Community & Environmental Impact through CSR projects in education, cultural tourism, philanthropy, and conservation. - Commitment to Long-Term Change by deliberately choosing to promote sustainable destinations, empower communities, and influence industry practices toward greener tourism. At VistaVoyage, sustainability is not just a corporate responsibility, it is a core value and a lived practice. Our actions reflect the conviction that African tourism can thrive while protecting nature, celebrating culture, and empowering communities.

Website - VistaVoyage Travel Group

Reason 1: The organization scoped the 4th place award under the same category during the 7th Annual tourism leadership forum and awards which was held in Gaborone, Botswana.

Reason 2: The Tourism Wildlife and Environmental sustainability education projects has upscaled its reach.

Reason 3: Because currently they are the first organization in Zambia who are championing sustainability tourism that is coupled with conservation education to the local communities.

Website - Know your Wildlife and the Environment Zambia (KWEZ)

Reason 1: Promoting Sustainability Projects, sustainable development goals initiatives, community development programmes with SDGs in Africa Region and worldwide.

Reason 2: Dynamism in sustainability projects, sustainable development programmes and initiatives in Africa Region and worldwide.

Reason 3: Always trailblazering sustainability, sustainable development goals initiatives, community development programmes, sustainability projects across the globe.

Website - Ideas For Us Mauritius

Reason 1: At Hause Ltd has championed sustainability. For more details, kindly visit; https://www.untourism.int/news/un-conference-on-least-developed-countries

Website - At Hause Ltd

Reason 1: Protects mountain gorillas and their habitats through conservation efforts, research, and community engagement.

Website - International Gorilla Conservation Program

Reason 1: Promotes conservation, community development, and sustainable land use practices, benefiting both wildlife and local communities.

Website - Maasai Mara, Kenya

Reason 1: A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Okavango Delta is a vital wetland ecosystem that supports biodiversity, conservation, and sustainable tourism. abilities and professionalism of tourism industry experts across the continent, they have arranged conferences, seminars, and training programs. By making investments in human resource development, the association has helped to raise the standard of tourism experiences and services, enhancing Africa's image as a warm and welcoming travel destination.

Website - Okavango Delta

Reason 1: A protected area that conserves mountain ecosystems, biodiversity, and supports sustainable tourism, benefiting local communities.

Reason 2: Exceptional Conservation Efforts: Rwenzori Mountains National Park has demonstrated outstanding commitment to preserving biodiversity and protecting endangered species, showcasing its dedication to environmental sustainability.

Reason 3: Sustainable Tourism Practices: The park promotes eco-tourism, supporting local communities while minimizing its ecological footprint, and setting an example for responsible tourism practices.

Website - Rwenzori Mountains National Park

Reason 1: A protected area that conserves biodiversity, supports sustainable tourism, and benefits local communities through conservation efforts.

Reason 2: Simien Mountains National Park Office, located in Debark Town, is dedicated to the conservation and sustainable management of one of Ethiopia’s most treasured UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Reason 3: The office plays a key role in protecting the park’s unique biodiversity, cultural heritage, and breathtaking landscapes while promoting sustainable tourism and community involvement.

Website - Simien Mountains National Park

Reason 1: Exceptional Wildlife Conservation: Chobe National Park is renowned for its impressive elephant populations and diverse wildlife, demonstrating outstanding conservation efforts and a commitment to protecting Africa's natural heritage.

Reason 2: Sustainable Tourism Practices: The park promotes eco-tourism, supporting local communities and fostering economic development while emphasizing responsible tourism practices to preserve its unique ecosystem.

Reason 3: Community Engagement and Benefits: Chobe National Park engages with local communities, providing benefits and opportunities that promote coexistence with wildlife and support sustainable livelihoods, making it a model for community-based conservation initiatives.

Website - Chobe National Park

Reason 1: Mlilo Community Tours and Safaris has over the years struggled to put the Eco-Tourism as a key Development Agenda in the Coast Province. Through lobbying at various levels, the then Taita Taveta District Development Committee adopted it as an important District Development Planning Strategy towards the realization of Vision 2030. Since the establishment of Mlilo Community Tours and Safaris in 2009, Mlilo has clearly demonstrated that Eco-Tourism is by far the most viable option especially for Arid Coastal Areas and in areas within Communities bordering the park who at the moment faced with Human Wildlife Conflict and in view of failing agricultural productivity due to dwindling rainfall and acute change in weather patterns.

Reason 2: Mlilo community based tourism worn 8 Eco-Warrior Awards in different categories and (HSC) Head of States Commendation.Mlilo has made a marketing strategy and has developed a marketing brochure detailing products within Coastal Circuits and other Community Based Tourism Circuits in other regions in Kenya.

Reason 3: Mlilo Community Tours and Safaris has been promoting Peace, cultural, heritage and domestic tourism consistently and has trained 250 home stay owners and 60 tour guides. From this initiative, Youth and women have started benefiting in selling their abundant resources and job creation to the youth.Mlilo Community Tours and Safaris is the only Community run Tour Company in the Country.See Website: www.mliloecotravels.com

Website - Domestic Tourism Association

Reason 1: Advancing resilient tourism in a fragile security context Despite the security challenges facing Niger, the Minister has consistently promoted tourism as a pathway to resilience and hope. By highlighting cultural heritage sites and national identity as assets rather than vulnerabilities, she has shown that tourism can remain a force for unity and pride even under difficult circumstances. Her leadership reframes Niger’s image internationally—from a country defined by insecurity to one recognized for its rich history and cultural depth.

Reason 2: Empowering local communities through sustainable livelihoods Under her guidance, tourism and handicrafts have been positioned as tools for inclusive development. By encouraging the active involvement of artisans, women, and youth, she has ensured that tourism revenues circulate within communities and reduce economic vulnerability. This approach provides alternatives to displacement or marginalization and strengthens the role of culture as a driver of sustainable livelihoods in areas affected by instability.

Reason 3: Promoting tourism as a vehicle for peace and social cohesion The Minister has emphasized that sustainable tourism is not only about the environment, but also about safety, solidarity, and social bonds. By integrating principles of community security and intercultural dialogue into tourism initiatives, she demonstrates that the sector can contribute to peacebuilding. This vision sends a strong message: even in fragile contexts, tourism can be reimagined as a bridge between people, fostering stability and laying the foundation for long-term sustainable growth.

Website - Soufiane Aghaichata Guichene Minister

Reason 1: Among the top ten (10) tour and safari companies offering tailor made sustainable Ecotourism trips within Zimbabwe and neighbouring countries doing cultural exchange programmes.

Reason 2: Championing Sustainability through responsible ecotourism nature conservation by way of Nature Based Solutions to Ecosystem and Biodiversity Restoration. Promoting " Greening" tree planting and Biodiversity Restoration & Management.

Reason 3: Community Social Responsibility (CSR) Mbira Tours and Safaris gives back to the communities it visits. Provide Food Hampers, School Stationery, School Fees for less privileged and marginalized Rural Communities. Provides for Women, the Girl Child , the Youth , the Elderly and the Aged Mbira Tours and Safaris has deliberately engaged local youths in employment opportunities in the tourism industry.

Website - Englebert Karombo

Reason 1: As founder I started this company in 2011 after having worked in southern and east Africa as an overland Tourguide traveling around 14 nations of Africa. This gave me the opportunity to experience that the tourist wanted to go into villages , and experience cultural authentic Africa and its people off the beaten track. Seeing that I resigned to established Hafeni Afrika tourism group in my country Namibia Tourism City of Swakopmund where I am from, conducting tours in the township of Mondesa and the informal settlement of Democratoc resettlement community of Swakopmund. With high unemployment rate among youth who are co fronted by crime and substance abuse.

Reason 2: My vision I believed that my company will use tourism as a positive vehicle in communities we operate with aim to create jobs and use tourism as a positive building block to create positive change. The positive results from our tourism we employ only unemployed youth from our community, from the ladies who work at our Traditional restaurant which operates 7 days a week a dining in the heartbeat of Swakopmund township Mondesa that offer verity of indigenous local Cuisines from Mopane worms , Goat head, traditional chickens to name a few. The products that we use at our traditional restaurant we buy it at the local informal market directly support the woman who sell that local Products. The people who conduct the tours are young youth whom I have trained and are the ones who are tour guides. Apart of our tour we do home visits of indigenous tribes of Namibia mainly the Herero Woman whom share their culture and customs , The Aawambo Tribe and the Dantago women art and community centre. Each month we give a chewer to this members which is direct proceeds from tourism. The youth choir group who sings and perform for the clients as well as schools whom we support part of our motto using tourism as powerful vehicle to lift up local communities. Without the empowerment of the locals where we operate our success conducting tourism in the township will be compromised as community members can negative impact succes of our community tourism business.

Reason 3: The Hafeni tourism group is focused in value addition innovation and wants to establish a leadership and entrepreneurial foundation that will capcitate young people in areas of training on tourism and hospitality. Mondesa township has a population of 80 000 people and unemployment rate among young people of 40 percent. Hafeni tourism group believes the growth of our cultural tourism company and our foundation can play critical role to change positively a community through tourism. With over 13 employees and having a project to establish a township lodge and cultural Village at our recently required 3000 square meter of land we truly believe we can be a namibian cultural tourism story. We promote sustainable tourism initiative and the stories of our tours are told by the community members we visit and the dollar stays within the community. We pride ourselves promoting authentic interactive cultural experiences to our visitors. Thank you very much

Website - Hafeni Afrika Tourism

Reason 1: When the world is at tenterhooks due to declining natural spaces due to ravaging environmental violations and climate change, one South African has taken it as her mission to reverse that one village at a time. Gugu Sithole, a tourism entrepreneur who has popularised the Glamping movement in the country believes tourism is key to conservation efforts. In the past six years, Gugu, against the odds of capital, gender bias and structural red tape has managed to take Glamping to the front burner. Founder of Glamping Adventures, a company that curates bespoke, glamping experience around South Africa and the region, Gugu has expanded the sphere of this company to shared value, social and environmental work in often neglected parts of the country such as rural host communities. For this, she has won prestigious awards such as the Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award, Woken In Conservation Award by SanPARKS and others. Her passion has also seen empowering rural women to host tourists. Her model, is one that empowers women to do what five star safari lodges do, using their homes and cementing the model that sustainability is impactful if built from ground up.

Reason 2: Through Glamping Adventures Foundation, Gugu has spearheaded the empowerment of over 100 young people in rural tourism host communities. For four years, Glamping Adventures Foundation has trained young people in the Northern Cape, rural KwaZulu Natal and Free State provinces with filmmaking skills. These young people are now equipped to use film as a tool to protect the environment, a key cog to tourism traffic. Some of these films have been broadcast on Cape Town TV, amplifying the urgent messages of environmental protection, awareness and climate change mitigation. The Foundation has also supplied and established rural gardens, fostering food security as well as natural heritage efforts by revamping cultural custodian structures such as the traditional council in rural Drakensberg and planting of trees in rural schools and public spaces.

Reason 3: Gugu is a convener of the annual Glamping Expo. The first of its kind of Africa, Gugu successfully organised the first Glamping Expo in Johannesburg. The Expo brings the whole Glamping value chain under one roof echoing urgent attention to the preservation of nature using conscious, regeneration tourism methods. The Expo also showcased futuristic innovation within the sector. This was not a mean feat in a country fraught with challenges to host events of such magnitude.

Website - Gugu Sithole/Glamping Adventure

Reason 1: She is Founder and CEO of Lorta Wealth Investment Ltd.

Reason 2: She is Head of Skills development in Women Ascension in Africa.

Reason 3: She is Head of Department Tourism and Hospitality Studies and championing Sustainability through international conference of Tourism and expo for three years.

Website - LorTa Wealth Investment ltd

Reason 1: Wineaster has unquestionable record of creation and transfer of knowledge that supports innovation, sustainability and inclusiveness; and has made significant contributions to learning and teaching in tourism. Upon completion of her PhD in the Economics of Tourism and Environment, she spearheaded development of tourism management curricula and establishment of tourism programs in five (5) universities if Tanzania [University of Dar es Salaam, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Saint Augustine University of Tanzania, Open University of Tanzania and The University of Dodoma]. Today, over 10 universities offer the course, thanks to her initiative. Wineaster has researched and published extensively in the areas of innovation and sustainability in tourism, economics and marketing of tourism, poverty alleviation, international business, and gender. Her research works appear in the top journals in the world including Journal of Sustainable Tourism, Journal of Ecotourism, Tourism Planning & Development, Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Education, Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies, The Bottom Line, Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insight, Development in Practice, Tourism Review, Journal of Tourism and Cultural Change, Tourism Review, Journal of African Business, Anatolia-An International Journal of Tourism and Hospitality Research. She serves in the editorial boards of several journals including Tourism Planning and Development (Taylor & Francis), Tourism Geographies (Taylor & Francis), Business Management Review (University of Dar es Salaam), Pan-African Journal of Business Management (OUT), and African Business Management Journal (UDOM). She has served as visiting professor and deliver lectures on sustainability, entrepreneurship and innovations in tourism to several universities including Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK, Finland) and Polytechnic University of Namibia.

Reason 2: Prof. Anderson has made significant contributions to governmental, industry and professional bodies. Her vast experience in linking the industry with academia through teaching, research and public services has attracted attention of various corporates and government officials to appoint her in several governing boards and technical committees. Wineaster has served and continues to serve various Technical Committees and Governing Boards within and outside Tanzania including the Tanzania National Parks, Tanzania National Business Council - Tourism Working Group; Technical Advisory Committee to the Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism; Tanzania Investment Centre; College of Business Education; and the National Council for Technical Education - Business, Tourism and Planning Board. Others include the Ministerial Advisory Board for the National College of Tourism. Wineaster is also a Member of the Steering Committee of Green Growth and Innovation Disruption for the Tourism Sector in Tanzania, UNDP Pilot interventions in Tanzania; Chairperson of GTDC 8 – Tourism and related services for Tanzania; Chairperson of East African Community (EASC/TC 076 Services); Member of Africa Organization for Standardization [ARSO/TC 76 – Tourism and related services] and International Organisation for Standardization (Tourism and related services - ISO/TC228) Technical Committees. It is due to her reputation in the tourism sector, Wineaster has won trust of several international institutions that financed several of her consultancy assignments. These include for example: (i) Serengeti Ecosystem Tourism Development Model” in the Project “Emergency and Recovery Support for Biodiversity in Tanzania” (ERB) ([inanced by The German Financial Cooperation Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau ("KfW”, 2024)]; (ii) Developing an international marketing strategic plan for destination Tanzania. Funded by USAID Promoting Tanzania’s Environment, Conservation, and Tourism (PROTECT, 2020); (iii) Impacts of tourism on children and communities in Zanzibar [financed by UNICEF Zanzibar, 2017]; and (iv) Human resource needs and skills gaps in tourism and hospitality sector in Tanzania [financed by the World Bank - STHEP AF Project, 2015].

Reason 3: Wineaster has made a presentation at various conferences as key note speaker. Just to mention a few: (2023). Innovation & Technology for Conservation and Sustainable Tourism development. Keynote Presentation at the 14th TAWIRI Scientific Conference on Human-Wildlife Co-existence for biodiversity conservation and socio-economic development, 6th – 8th December 2023, AICC, Arusha, Tanzania; (2019). We are One, Let’s be the same: Critical Tourism Themes emerging from the Sub-Saharan Africa. 8th Critical Tourism Studies Conference on "Pride and Prejudice: Que(e)rying Tourism Hope” at Seu Universitària, Ibiza (Spain), 24th-28th June 2019; (2019). Innovation in Tourism: A Least Developed Country Context. Keynote Speaker at ATLAS Africa Conference 2019 on Tourism and Innovation, Kampala, Uganda 12-14 June, 2019; (2018). Food Tourism for Local Development: Practices in Tanzania. Tomorrow`s Food Travel (TFT) Conference organized by Centre for Tourism at the University of Gothenburg, West Sweden Tourism Board, Visit Sweden (National Destination Management Organization), and Gothenburg and Co. (Local Destination Management Organization), School of Business, Economics and Law, Vasagatan 1, Sweden; 8-10 October 2018; and (2012). Energy-tourism-energy: a symbiotic relationship? Keynote Speaker at the UNWTO World Tourism Day under the theme Tourism & Sustainable Energy: Powering Sustainable Development, Mwanza 26 September.

Website - Wineaster Anderson