Two sub-Saharan cities, Nairobi (18th) and Cape Town (41st), made the global travel planning and booking agency, Tourlane’s, Top 50 list of the most eco-friendly cities in the world.

Data was gathered from hundreds of cities across the globe and took into account accessibility, green space, the ratio of tourists to locals and air quality to determine the best cities in the world for sustainable travel.

European cities dominated in the top 10 with Berlin (1st), Vienna (2nd), Munich (3rd), London (4th) and Prague taking the top five slots.

‘We are delighted that Cape Town was recognised as one of the world’s eco-friendly travel destinations. More and more visitors are looking for environmentally friendly destinations and authentic experiences and this accolade demonstrates Cape Town’s commitment to sustainable practices,’ said City of Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Opportunities and Asset Management, James Vos.  

Sustainability in tourism means implementing measures that will help minimise the impact of travel on the environment while preserving the local conditions for future generations.

“A significant, and growing, number of tourists are looking for a better experience, a better-quality product, and the City's newly adopted Tourism Development Framework will focus on these approaches because it will drive demand and make business sense,” said Vos.