Receiving international recognition for its pristine beaches, Plettenberg Bay has been nominated for the World’s Leading Beach Destination at the World Travel Awards to be held in Kenya on Friday.
Plett has also been nominated as Africa’s leading beach destination alongside Cape Town.
The World Travel Awards was established in 1993 to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the tourism industry.
The awards ceremony will be held at Diamonds Leisure & Beach Resort in Kwale, Kenya.
Speaking about the nomination, Keep Plett Clean founder Alison Bryant said the nomination was more than just an accolade for the beaches.
“To be placed alongside iconic beaches in Thailand and Hawaii is a tremendous honour and a testament to the tireless dedication of our volunteers and the entire community,” she said.
Keep Plett Clean is one of the town’s organisations that focuses on cleaning and maintaining the town’s standards and image as well as cleaning the beaches.
Bryant said for more than 12 years a passionate team of volunteers, led by herself and David Scott, had consistently dedicated their time to cleaning up the town and beaches with the help of sponsors.
“It’s a reflection of the collective effort it takes to keep Plettenberg Bay beautiful, working together with the Bitou municipality.
“Our volunteers’ dedication to picking up litter, emptying bins, scrubbing away graffiti and ensuring that waste is properly managed has helped create an environment where visitors can enjoy the full beauty of Plett’s beaches and natural surroundings,” Bryant said.
Plett Tourism chief executive Patty Butterworth said with six blue flag beaches, the seaside town had already positioned itself as a leading global beach destination.
She said winning the award would not just be a recognition of Plettenberg Bay’s natural beauty and world-class beaches but signify the community’s commitment to preserving its shores, welcoming visitors with warmth, and offering a unique experience that was felt across the world.
“This award brings more than prestige to our coastal town; it fosters pride within the community, attracts visitors and investment, and strengthens the local economy by putting the town on the map as a destination of excellence.”
Butterworth said it was important for communities to know that by caring for their beaches, they not only protected one of its most important unique selling points but also ensured that tourists continued to be drawn to their town, which boosted local business.
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