Cape Town has won the 2009 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Award, in the Best Destination category.

The award was accepted during a function at the World Travel Market in London by deputy mayor Ian Neilson, the city said in a statement.

Congratulating Cape Town Tourism and other tourism industry roleplayers, Neilson said the award belonged to them after all their hard work to put the Responsible Tourism Charter in place.

"Cape Town is ready to greet the world during 2010," Neilson said.

Mansoor Mohamed, the city's director for economic and social development and tourism, said Cape Town had also won Africa's Leading Destination Award for the second consecutive year.

In the Virgin awards, it beat 35 other nominations.