Judy Kepher-Gona
Judy has a wealth of knowledge in sustainable travel and tourism across the African continent.
Judy is a sustainable tourism advocate, planner, adviser, assessor and trainer with over 20 years’ experience working with tourism sector, communities, conservation. Holder of MA in Rural Sociology & Community Development, Judy has dedicated her professional life to creating awareness on sustainable tourism. This has involved, challenging status quo, reviewing, debating and making contribution to how to effectively link tourism, community development, and conservation for sustainable tourism development.
She was the founding CEO of Ecotourism Kenya, the premier ecotourism society on Africa. While at Ecotourism she led and coordinated the development of criteria and standards for sustainable tourism certification, resulting in Kenya’s eco-rating scheme for hotels and lodges. In 2013, she founded Sustainable Travel & Tourism Agenda (STTA) an advisory organization that uses education, research, advocacy, and training to accelerate uptake of sustainable tourism, and support public and private sector agencies to engage and respond.
Globally Judy has served severally as a judge of World Travel and Tourism Council Tourism for Tomorrow Awards, and onsite evaluator for Nat Geo Unique Lodges of the World and Nat Geo World Legacy Awards. She has also been judge for IIPT Awards.
Her other roles in the industry include: board member of Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), advisory board member of The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) and recently board member of Fair-Trade Tourism South Africa (FTT).
Judy has made significant contribution to acceptance and understanding of sustainable tourism through development of tools, training and awareness, assessment, advocacy and recently through a regional publication for East Africa- The EA sustainable tourism report.
Judy has developed one-day training modules for businesses that are beginning the journey and to support those who are in formative years/stage to mature into truly sustainable operations.
In 2019, she was awarded the Sustainable Citizen Award by Forbes Woman Africa in recognition of outstanding contribution to awareness and knowledge of sustainability in tourism in Africa and beyond.