RTD11 presents an opportunity to reflect on what has been achieved in Cape Town, South Africa and elsewhere around the world, to document good practices applied by different producer groups, and set the agenda for change for the next 10 years.

The conference will result in a Responsible Tourism Practitioner’s Guide to Realising Responsible Tourism in Destinations – reflecting the input from keynote speakers, panellists and delegates. Cape Town is a destination focused on Responsible Tourism and therefore the ideal host of the 11th International Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations.

"The City of Cape Town is pleased to be hosting the 11th International Conference on Responsible Tourism," says the City’s mayoral committee member for tourism, event and economic development, councillor Garreth Bloor.

"Responsible Tourism is an approach to the management of tourism in order to maximize economic, social and environmental benefits while minimizing the costs to the City and the country as a whole. In short, Responsible Tourism is about making better places for people to live in and better places to visit. It is important for Cape Town and South Africa to come together and encourage all tourism role-players to adopt the policies of Responsible Tourism."

He adds: "This will help to improve the sustainability of local businesses, increase destination marketing and which ultimately contribute to the sustainability of the city and the country. With the City of Cape Town embracing and following Responsible Tourism principles, local communities are respected and involved in the decision-making process and local resources are used sustainably."

The City of Cape Town is excited to announce that the following speakers will also be joining the debate at the 11th International Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations:

- Tim Williamson, director of responsibletravel.com from the United Kingdom;
- Matthias Leisinger, vice president of corporate responsibility for the KUONI Group from Switzerland;
- Manisha Pande, director and general manager of Villageways in India;
- Afzaal Mauthoor, CEO of Inspired Escapes from the United Kingdom;
- Adama Bah from ASSET Gambia in Gambia;
- Samantha Annandale, general manager of Hotel Verde in South Africa;
- Mario Delicio, founder and owner of Verde Invest in South Africa;
- Lee-Hendor Ruiters of the National Cleaner Production Centre in South Africa;
- Glenn Phillips, managing executive of tourism and marketing for SANParks in South Africa;
- Justin Hawes, CEO of  Scan Display in South Africa;
- Sabine Lehmann, CEO of the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway in South Africa;
- Dawn Robertson, CEO of the Gauteng Tourism Authority in South Africa;
- Nombulelo Mkefa, director of Tourism for the City of Cape Town in South Africa;
- Paul Miedema, director of Calabash Tours in South Africa;
- Harold Goodwin, professor at Manchester Metropolitan University and International Centre for Responsible Tourism in the United Kingdom;
- Anton Groenewald, executive director or Tourism, Events and Economic Development for the City of Cape Town in South Africa; and
- Heidi van der Watt, director of the International Centre for Responsible Tourism in South Africa.

For more information about the speakers, click here.

The 11th International Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations is hosted by the City of Cape Town and supported by Hotel Verde, Turkish Airlines, the V&A Waterfront and Avis.

Registration for the even is now open. Seats for RTD11 cost R2280 and booking is essential.

For more information visit the WTM Africa website. Alternatively, follow Better Tourism Africa and WTM Africa on Twitter.