Cape Town leads Tripadvisor's New Sustainable Beaches in Africa

South Africa’s Camp’s Bay Beach has landed on travel review site Tripadvisor’s newest ranking list— Top Sustainable Beaches of the World.

The new ranking of sustainable beaches released Wednesday follows Tripadvisor’s addition of a Sustainable Destinations category in January, as 55% of global Tripadvisor users surveyed said “helping the environment is important to them”.

Africa’s Most Sustainable Beach

Camps Bay, a world-famous beach holiday destination in Cape Town, secured 10th position. The Mother City’s sunseekers’ haven ranks amongst Sandbanks Beach, in the UK’s Poole, which took the top spot, followed by Radhanagar Beach in Havelock Island, India, and the UK’s Saundersfoot Beach, in second and third position.

Top 10 Sustainable Beaches in the World

1. Sandbanks Beach – Poole, United Kingdom

2. Radhanagar Beach – Havelock Island, India

3. Saundersfoot Beach – Saundersfoot, United Kingdom

4. Corniche Beach – Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

5. Galissas Beach – Galissas, Greece

6. Nissi Beach – Ayia Napa, Cyprus

7. Mellieha Beach – Mellieha, Malta

8. Myrtos Beach – Kefalonia, Greece

9. Playa Blanca – Playa Blanca, Spain

10. Camp’s Bay Beach – Cape Town, South Africa

Tripadvisor’s newest ranking saw BeCause, a sustainable data management company, analyze eligible beaches awarded a Blue Flag from May 1, 2023, to April 23, 2024. It also combined Tripadvisor reviews rated four or higher and referenced terms such as “environmentally friendly,” “eco-tourism,” and “clean water” over a 12-month period.

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Cape Town Tourism CEO Enver Duminy said he believes the recognition of Camps Bay as one of the world’s most sustainable beaches in 2024 represents the “unwavering commitment of Cape Town Tourism, alongside the city, to uphold the highest sustainability standards.”

“Sustainability is at the heart of everything Cape Town Tourism does, and we remain committed to preserving our region’s natural wonders for future generations. This award celebrates not only the scenic splendour of Camps Bay but also our collective efforts to maintain it through sustainable practices,” said Duminy.

Push for More Sustainable Travel Choices

Tripadvisor’s focus on sustainability forms part of a global trend of travellers looking for meaningful ways to make sustainable travel choices.

Discover Africa has noted similar trends amongst its guests looking for activities that allow them to contribute to eco-friendly efforts and participate more meaningfully beyond typical safari tours, according to Head of Product Murielle Vegezzi.

Vegezzi stated it has led to the development of “positive impact” experiences that are more focused on the environment and are rooted in community and conservation-driven projects.

Africa’s Best Beaches

The Top 10 Sustainability Beaches of the World list coincided with the release of Tripadvisor’s World’s Best Beaches list for 2024, with Portugal, Italy, and Spain claiming the top three spots.

While Africa was missing from the global list, Tripadvisor named the Best Beaches for Africa 2024, stating that fewer than 1% of the platform’s more than 8 million listings can make the ranking grade.

The ever-popular beach holiday spot of Seychelles is rated tops, and the top beach and bush destinations of Tanzania and Zanzibar dominate the list, with Kenya, Mauritius, and North Africa’s Morocco also given a nod.