Mountain Lodges of Peru has been honored for sustainable tourism efforts with National Geographic Traveler’s “Leadership in Sustainable Tourism Award,” a 2015 Gold Adrian Award from Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI). The award recognized the family-owned adventure travel operator for “demonstrable leadership and innovation in preserving and communicating an authentic sense of place through a wisely managed tourism program” via the efforts of its nonprofit social and environmental responsibility arm, Yanapana Peru.
Enrique Umbert Sr., President of Mountain Lodges of Peru, and his son Enrique Umbert Jr., General Manager, traveled from the company’s home base in Peru to receive the Gold Adrian at HSMAI’s 59th annual Adrian Awards gala held at the New York Marriot Marquis on Tuesday, February 16.
Mountain Lodges of Peru specializes in upscale lodge-to-lodge trekking and multi-activity programs for adventurous travelers to explore and experience the beauty, culture and history of the Andean Highlands of Peru including the Salkantay Trek and the Lares Adventure to Machu Picchu.
Yanapana Peru works to reduce extreme poverty in the Andean Highlands and teams with Ecoteam, another division of Mountain Lodges of Peru, to promote responsible and environmentally conscious tourism on the Salkantay trail. Conservation efforts include solid waste recycling, fauna and flora trails and reforestation, as well as collaborative projects focused on the health of transport animals. Mountain Lodges of Peru also partners with local communities to provide healthcare, education and employment.
“To see the work of Yanapana Peru rewarded with a Gold Adrian Award from HSMAI and National Geographic Traveler is quite an honor for us, as well as recognition that we are headed in the right direction at preserving the beauty, culture and history of the region we explore,” said Enrique Umbert Sr. “Our hope is that the award will inspire other travel operators to make sustainability a priority – across Peru and around the world.”