Shark Spotters, the only program of its kind in the world, has been recognised for our valuable contribution to enhancing the safety of all visitors to in-shore areas at certain beaches in Cape Town.
As an organisation we aim to balance the needs of both people and white shark conservation by pro-actively reducing the interaction and conflict between recreational water users and sharks, and as a result we has clinched the Gold Innovation Award in the Best for Beach Tourism Category at the recent African Responsible Tourism Awards for 2016.
The ceremony took place at the World Travel Market Africa on Thursday, 7 April.
You can see the full list of winners here: Mara Nabiosho crowned African Responsible Tourism Awards 2016 winner
The Best for Beach Tourism Category is awarded to a tourism business, organisation or initiative providing or contributing to responsible holidays in beach settings.
Judges were looking for organisations that showed leadership in responsible tourism policies and practices in a beach setting, positive integration and relationships with local communities, and proven achievements in maintaining and conserving beach environments.
They found that “Shark Spotter’s solution to safe beaches removes the fear factor from enjoying Cape Town’s beaches while working to protect sharks, particularly the Great White Shark – a globally threatened species.”
The Shark Spotters Programme contributes to responsible tourism in Cape Town through its combination of shark safety, cutting-edge research, public education, and community upliftment in order to protect and improve people’s beach experiences in areas with a high spatial overlap between people and sharks.