The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has announced the 12 finalists for the 2010 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards. The winners will be revealed on May 26th celebrating the best in sustainable tourism throughout four different categories. This year over 160 entries were received from over 45 countries.
The categories and the finalists are:
Destination Stewardship Award
This award goes to a destination – country, region, state or town – which comprises a network of tourism enterprises and organizations that show dedication to and success in maintaining a program of sustainable tourism management at the destination level, incorporating social, cultural, environmental and economic aspects as well as multi-stakeholder engagement.o Botswana Tourism Board – www.botswanatourism.co.bw
o Country of Montenegro, Ministry of Tourism – www.montenegro.travel
o Mount Huangshan Scenic Site, China – www.chinahuangshan.gov.cn
Conservation Award
This awards can go to any tourism business, organization or attraction, including lodges, hotels or tour operators, able to demonstrate that their tourism development and operations have made a tangible contribution to the conservation of natural heritage.o Emirates Hotels & Resorts, UAE – www.emirateshotelsresorts.com
o Inkaterra Per? SAC – www.inkaterra.com
o Singita Grumeti Reserves, Tanzania – www.singita.com
Community Benefit Award
This award is for a tourism business or initiative that has effectively demonstrated direct benefits to local people, including capacity building, the transfer of industry skills, and support for community development.o Namibia’s Communal Conservancy Tourism Sector / NACSO – www.nacso.org.na
o Tourindia, India – www.tourindiakerala.com
o Whale Watch Kaikoura Ltd, New Zealand – www.whalewatch.co.nz
Global Tourism Business Award
This award recognizes best practices in sustainable tourism at a large company level. These finalist companies have at least 200 full-time employees and they operate in more than one country or in more than one destination in a single country.o Accor, France & Global – www.accor.com
o Banyan Tree Holdings, Singapore & Global – www.banyantree.com
o Wilderness Safaris, South Africa & Global – www.wilderness-safaris.com
The finalists were chosen by an international team of independent judges in each of the categories for having “successfully demonstrated sustainable tourism practices, including the protection of natural and cultural heritage, social and economic benefits to local people, and environmentally friendly operations”.
This year’s finalist for the Community Benefit Award, Whale Watch Kaikoura Ltd from New Zealand has been previously presented also by Mynatour. Read about this “ecospot” here .
Text: Emily H?ckert
Source: The World Travel & Tourism Council
Images: The World Travel & Tourism Council