By Naushad Khan
Cape Town’s iconic Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company has added another accolade to its growing list of honours after receiving a Gold award in the Local Economic Benefit category at the 2026 WTM Africa Responsible Tourism Awards.
The recognition celebrates the company’s ongoing commitment to responsible tourism and acknowledges its work in ensuring that the economic benefits generated by one of South Africa’s most visited attractions extend beyond the mountain itself. Gold winners at the WTM Africa Responsible Tourism Awards are recognised for setting benchmark standards in sustainable and ethical tourism practices across the continent.
The award highlights the Cableway’s broad sustainability strategy, which includes local sourcing initiatives, supplier development programmes, environmental conservation efforts and long-running community partnerships. The business has increasingly positioned itself as a leader in responsible destination management, balancing commercial tourism success with environmental stewardship and social impact.
Among its flagship initiatives is the “Class in the Clouds” educational programme, which has introduced hundreds of thousands of school learners to Table Mountain through environmental education experiences, while its corporate social investment programme continues to improve accessibility for NGOs and underserved communities.
The latest recognition further strengthens Table Mountain Cableway’s reputation as more than just a world-class attraction. The operation has become a case study in how tourism infrastructure can support local economic development while protecting a globally significant natural asset.
For Cape Town’s tourism sector, the award reinforces the city’s growing standing as a destination where sustainability and visitor experience increasingly go hand in hand. It also comes amid another strong year for the Cableway, which remains one of Africa’s most awarded tourism attractions and a key driver of the Mother City’s visitor economy.
The Gold award now places Table Mountain Cableway among Africa’s leading responsible tourism operators and advances its profile on the international sustainable tourism stage.
