Acacia Africa nominated for responsible tourism award

Acacia Africa has been nominated for the World Travel Awards 2010, as Africa's Leading Responsible Tourism Company. 

The tour operator features a dedicated voluntour portfolio in its brochure allowing travellers to experience a "hands on" holiday that benefits both community and wildlife projects. Many of the Africa specialist's overland and small group safaris also include visits to charitable organisations or opportunities to volunteer for just one day.

Heath Ashcroft, Marketing Director at Acacia Africa, comments: "We're thrilled to be nominated as Africa's Leading Responsible Tourism Company for the second year running.  We've made great strides in this area over the last few years, our aim to provide a balance between volunteering and adventures on our complete range of tours. In 2010, we introduced the 9-day Cheetah and Kruger Combo, the itinerary allowing travellers to assist staff at the Race Against Extinction Project: one of the oldest wildlife care and conservation schemes in Africa. Game viewing in the Kruger National Park is also a major highlight on the ethically engineered trip."

While the idea of voluntouring continues to gain in popularity some experts have questioned the effectiveness of short-term assistance from travellers.

Heath Ashcroft, comments: "Our tours are designed to benefit the projects on a practical level, for example, by helping to build and paint local schools in Uganda.  These hands on activities lend themselves to bite-sized voluntours, and our travellers continue to make positive changes within communities even though their stay might be limited to just one day."

Over 5,000 organisations, spanning 162 countries have been nominated by their travel industry peers for a chance to win a World Travel Award, and Acacia Africa is hoping that its enduring commitment to responsible tourism will encourage both trade and consumers to vote for the operator. Interested parties should register on the World Travel Awards website before voting.  The closing date is 06 June 2010.