Our BLOOD LIONS™ “Born to Live Wild” campaign wins ‘Best Responsible Tourism Campaign’ as well as joint overall winner at the African Responsible Tourism Awards 2017

The BLOOD LIONS™ “Born to Live Wild” Campaign was developed to create further global awareness, and to empower tourists, tour operators, volunteer recruitment agencies and young volunteers to make responsible choices when visiting South Africa.

Our bag design, campaign logo and web page below. Thanks to the Bags4Good team, Flint Sky and Woolworths and to Wildlife Act and Wildlands for being a part of making this campaign a success.

 

 

 

 

The BLOOD LIONS™ “Born to Live Wild” Campaign was developed to create further global awareness, and to empower tourists, tour operators, volunteer recruitment agencies and young volunteers to make responsible choices when visiting South Africa.“BLOOD LIONS™ is extremely honoured to have been selected as winners for the “Best Responsible Tourism Campaign” category and as joint overall winners at the African Responsible Tourism Awards 2017”, says Producer, Pippa Hankinson, “and we would like to thank the ARTA17 team for choosing our “Born to Live Wild” Tourism Campaign.

We would also like to thank all the leading South African and International travel organisations who have supported our Campaign by signing our“Born to Live Wild” including andBeyond, Asilia Africa, Atta, Adventure Travel, Classic Portfolio, Fairtrade Tourism, Invent Africa Safaris, Passage to Africa, Safari Pros, Singita, Thompsons, Tourvest, Wilderness Safaris, Wildlife ACT, to name a few.

The awards ceremony was held last night at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. Heidi van der Watt, Director of Better Tourism Africa and founder of the African Responsible Tourism Awards opened the ceremony and the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Elizabeth Thabete welcomed all international delegates. Mr Bekithemba Langalibalele (Director of Responsible Tourism in the National Department of Tourism), Mr Alan Winde (Western Cape Minister of Economic Opportunity), Mr Tim Harris (CEO of Wesgro), Mr Anton Groenewald (CEO of Cape Town Pass) and Professor Harold Goodwin (Chair of Judges for Responsible Tourism Awards) were in attendance.

For those who have not yet committed to our “Born to Live Wild” Pledge, BLOOD LIONS™ urges all tour operators who endorse responsible and ethical tourism to become part of the solution, and invites them to add their logos to the ” Born to Live Wild ” Tourism Pledge on our BLOOD LIONS™ Campaign page:  http://www.bloodlions.org/born-to-live-wild/ There is little doubt that the global tourism industry is moving away from all forms of wildlife exploitation, and by joining the movement, operators will be making a clear statement that predators are wild and should remain in the wild. BLOOD LIONS™ is committed to continue to support the formal conservation community in their endeavours to secure the survival of Africa’s predators in the wild. The BLOOD LIONS™ “Born to Live Wild” Pledge forms a central part of our Campaign Team’s commitment to endorse sustainable and responsible tourism, and to promote South Africa as an authentic, wild and rewarding eco-tourism destination – with the overall objective to bring an end to canned hunting and exploitative breeding of predators, including cub petting and other interactive activities on farms across South Africa. We would also like to acknowledge and thank everyone, whether on an individual basis or as an organization, involved in the global campaign to end the exploitation of wild predators.