TANZANIA’S NGORONGORO EARNS CONTINENTAL HONOUR FOR CONSERVATION
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority has won continental recognition for sustainable tourism and conservation management at an awards ceremony in Accra, Ghana.
ACCRA, Ghana, October 17, 2026 — The Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA) has received the Excellence in Sustainable Tourism and Conservation Management Award at the Africa Business Forum & Awards 2026, recognising its contribution to biodiversity protection, sustainable tourism and heritage management.
The award was presented at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City in Accra, Ghana. It honours the authority’s work in safeguarding Ngorongoro’s natural and cultural heritage while developing tourism that delivers lasting environmental, economic and social benefits.
For Tanzania, the recognition adds to the international profile of one of its flagship tourism destinations and highlights the importance of conservation in sustaining the country’s visitor economy.
Turning Africa’s heritage into lasting value
Speaking at the forum, NCAA Conservation Commissioner Abdul-Razak Badru emphasised the importance of transforming Africa’s natural and cultural assets into globally competitive brands that create enduring value.
His remarks highlighted the responsibility of conservation institutions to protect the resources underpinning tourism while ensuring that their management benefits people, nature and future generations.
“We exist to protect this living masterpiece, to share its wonders with the world, and to inspire generations through the timeless story of Ngorongoro,” Badru said.
“This recognition reaffirms our responsibility to safeguard its extraordinary natural and cultural heritage while ensuring that conservation creates lasting value for people, nature and future generations.”
The message places heritage protection at the centre of Ngorongoro’s tourism ambitions, linking the destination’s international appeal with the long-term stewardship of its natural and cultural resources.
Building on international recognition
The Accra award adds to Ngorongoro’s previous tourism honours, including recognition as Africa’s Leading Tourist Attraction at the World Travel Awards in 2023 and 2025.
While those honours recognised the destination’s appeal to visitors, the latest award focuses on sustainable tourism and conservation management, broadening the recognition of the authority’s work.
Together, the distinctions strengthen Ngorongoro’s visibility within Africa’s tourism sector and support Tanzania’s positioning as a destination where visitor experiences are closely connected to conservation and heritage.
Conservation and responsible investment
The NCAA is advancing a vision of making Ngorongoro a “Global Beacon of Conservation, Heritage and Premium Tourism”.
That ambition brings together conservation excellence, responsible investment and exceptional visitor experiences. It also underlines the importance of safeguarding the qualities that make the destination distinctive as its tourism offering develops.
The continental recognition reinforces the authority’s stated commitment to managing Ngorongoro’s heritage responsibly and ensuring that tourism contributes to lasting value for people and nature.
Badru’s remarks in Accra framed the award as both an acknowledgement of that work and a renewed responsibility to protect Ngorongoro for future generations.