Tourism business, Unexplored Cape Town, has brought international recognition home, securing the silver award in the championing cultural diversity category at the 2026 World Travel Market (WTM) Africa Responsible Tourism Awards.
The award was presented at the WTM Africa in Cape Town on Tuesday, April 14, placing the inclusive food tour operator among Africa's leading responsible tourism organisations.
Founded by Dennis Molewa, Unexplored Cape Town offers heritage food tours and a Cape Malay/African-Creole cooking experience, moving beyond traditional tourist routes to connect visitors and locals with the true essence of the city's diverse communities.
"This is huge for a small tourism business like us. Winning silver in the cultural diversity category is recognition that the work we are doing, putting community, food, and honest storytelling at the centre of tourism, is the authenticity that many travellers are seeking.
"It matters for the city, for the businesses we support, and for every guest who walks with us," he said.
The WTM Africa judges specifically recognised Unexplored Cape Town for their inclusive, community-rooted approach.
Their tours take guests into neighbourhood kitchens and markets, intentionally support small, informal vendors, and are designed to welcome travellers with disabilities while showcasing diverse African and diaspora food cultures.
Unexplored Cape Town’s model, which they term Tourism 2.0, is built on fair revenue distribution and long-term partnerships with small, people of color (POC) owned food businesses often overlooked by the mainstream tourism economy.
Through experiences like the Little Mogadishu Food Tour in Bellville and the African Food and Storytelling Experience, they provide a vital platform for entrepreneurs.
In a further commitment to community upliftment, five percent of every booking is directed to the African Food Business Fund.
This registered non-profit provides financial assistance, equipment, and skills development to marginalised food businesses in the central business district (CBD).
Mr Molewa said: "Tourism cannot be neutral. It can either fuel exclusion or it can become a force for inclusion, dignity, and positive change. This award tells us we’re on the right path."
The company’s success highlights how Cape Town’s local enterprises are driving a new, more ethical future for global tourism.
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