We have had an excellent response to the Awards this year — with some inspiring, innovative and scalable solutions to the challenge of sustainability. There are many destinations and businesses around the world taking responsibility and making a difference. The ambition of the Global Responsible Tourism Awards is to encourage businesses to learn from the leaders and to be inspired to do what they can to make tourism better — better for our environment and local communities. The WTM Responsible Tourism’s Platform for Change is being developed to show businesses and destinations the proven solutions which have been tried and tested.
This year, for the first time, we have had one set of categories across our family of awards, enabling us to choose the Global Award winners from the Gold winners in each region. The India and Rest of the World categories are now closed for 2021 and the judges are hard at work.
We have looked at the best of the entries in the Africa and Latin America categories, and they will be included in the Gold Awards that go to the Global judging panel. However, the Gold winners in Africa and Latin America will be announced and presented at the WTM shows in Africa and Latin America next year.
| Category | Entry Closing Dates | Presentations |
| Global Awards 2021 | Closed | 1 November at WTM London |
| Rest of the World | Closed | 1 November at WTM London |
| India | Closed | 1 November at WTM London |
| Africa | 28 February 2022 | 13 April 2022 |
| Latin America | 30 November 2022 | Between 5-7 April 2022 |
In 2022 there will be the same six categories as this year plus four more: potable water, biodiversity and natural heritage, access for the differently-abled and cultural heritage. Those whose entries in Africa and Latin America are rolling into 2022 will be able to update their submission.
2022 is the 20th anniversary of the Cape Town Declaration on Responsible Tourism in Destinations.