Grand prize winner to receive 8-day eco-trip to Costa Rica
New York – The Rainforest Alliance is pleased to announce the launch of the 2013 “Picture Our Planet” photo contest. Sponsored by Polaroid and Tour Operators Promoting Sustainability (TOPS), this year’s contest celebrates sustainable tourism and the power of images to capture the world’s most beautiful places.
“Taking photos is an essential part of the travel experience,” said Tensie Whelan, president of the Rainforest Alliance. “To ensure that the world’s iconic destinations -- and the people and wildlife that depend on them -- continue to thrive and prosper for generations to come, travelers must engage in sustainable tourism.”
Renowned wildlife photographer Art Wolfe will select the grand prize winner, who will receive an eight-day, seven-night eco-trip for two to Costa Rica, courtesy of members of the TOPS program, a community of tour operators committed to supporting sustainable tourism in their respective markets. The trip includes eco-tours to the Arenal Volcano, the Monteverde cloud forest and Manuel Antonio National Park.
Six category winners -- one from each of the contest’s photo categories -- will receive a Polaroid high-definition pocket digital video camcorder. All winners will also receive an honorary one-year membership at the $100-level to the Rainforest Alliance.
Winners will be chosen from the following categories:
- Iconic Destinations: famous travel destinations around the world
- Forests: boreal, tropical or temperate forests
- Water: rivers, streams, waterfalls, beaches, wetlands or coral reefs
- Wildlife: insects, birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles or fish
- People and Culture: images that celebrate a destination’s culture and communities
All photos must be submitted to Rainforest Alliance's Photo Contest by June 30, 2013. Winners will be contacted via their email accounts by July 31, 2013. All photos entered in the contest are considered donations to the Rainforest Alliance to be used in the organization’s publications and on its website.