The second annual World Travel Market (WTM) Africa will be taking place at Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) from April 15-17, 2015. This year, as a part of World Tourism Month and WTM Africa’s social responsibility projects, the WTM Africa team will be showing support for elephants and rhinos by participating in the Global March on October 4, 2014.
The organizing committee of the Global March for Elephants and Rhinos aim for global awareness on the severity of wildlife trafficking and gaining global awareness from governments around the world. The internationally recognised march calls for all countries to implement a complete ban on commercial international and domestic trade of all endangered wildlife body parts, including ivory, rhino horn, lion and tiger bone. Their fight extends to the United Nations, including the Security Council and General Assembly, to adopt sanctions against those countries in violation of intergovernmental agreements and for all governments to adopt, or amend legislation to criminalize poaching and wildlife trafficking and to ensure such criminal offenses are identified as serious crimes.
Sheree Simpson, Exhibition Manager of WTM Africa, supports this initiative as it’s close to the hearts of the WTM Africa team. “WTM Africa is committed to responsible tourism and we are supportive of all efforts to protect Africa’s valuable wildlife, which keep visitors coming back to our continent. The WTM Africa team would like to invite all those with the same passion and drive, to join WTM Africa and the Thebe Reed Exhibitions team in showing their support at this global event.”
So far the Global March for Elephants and Rhinos has received support from; Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, Uganda, The United States of America, United Arab Emirates, Germany, Ireland, Italy, just to mention a few. In South Africa, the march will be taking place in; Bloemfontein, Durban, East London, George, Grahamstown, Mosselbay, Nelspruit, Port Elizabeth, Plettenberg Bay, Pretoria, Rustenburg, Soweto, Stellenbosch and lastly Sandton, which is set to be one of the biggest marches, globally.
