2012 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards Winners Unveiled

23 April 2012
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Three companies and one destination, from four continents, have been recognised for their best practices in sustainable tourism at this year’s WTTC Tourism for Tomorrow Awards.

The 2012 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards winners hail from South America, North America, Europe, and Asia. These diverse set of winners and emerged as victors over 150 entries from more than 60 countries.

For all the latest photos and footage form the Awards ceremony please check www.wttc.org.

Community Benefit Award - Saunders Hotel Group, USA

This local family-owned hotel group has been a leader in sustainable tourism practices as far back as the early 1980s, when they converted an old police building in Boston, Massachusetts into an historic hotel and worked with local community partners to build affordable housing in the same area. Through initiatives that are driven and supported by all levels of their staff, the group supports dozens of local charity and non-profit groups with a combination of financial backing, volunteer time, and in-kind resources that goes far beyond most corporate social responsibility efforts.  For Saunders, community service begins at ‘home’, where helping people in need is part of the company mission, recognising that disadvantaged communities can also exist in a major city in the United States.

Conservation Award - Inkaterra, Peru

This hotel boasts long term conservation stewardship of 38,000 acres of rainforest in the Amazon basin and 25 acres of cloud forest within the Machu Picchu Historical Sanctuary. Founded in 1975, Inkaterra has grown into a renowned biodiversity research and conservation tourism company operating five hotels in the Sanctuary of Machu Picchu and the Madre de Dios area of the Amazon rainforest. As well as a 100% carbon neutral hotel stay for every guest, Inkaterra has continued to implement a host of self-supported, sustainable tourism projects to facilitate a better understanding among tourists and local peoples about the need to protect fragile habitats in the Andes and the Amazon of Peru, which is home to 84 of the world’s 104 identified ecological life zones.

Destination Stewardship Award - Destination Røros, Norway

Their successful multi-stakeholder approach to creating a thriving sustainable tourism destination in the old mining town of Røros, a UNESCO World Heritage Site is an example for many to follow. Since the end of mining in the late 1970’s, Destination Røros has been instrumental in reversing the area’s environmental degradation, guided by a management plan that actively engages and builds cooperation among local communities, municipal authorities, and private sector stakeholders. Emphasis is placed on demonstrating that historical cultural sites and formerly degraded natural areas can be revitalised and utilised in new contexts through sustainable development, thereby bringing tangible economic benefits to the local people. Destination Røros is also a pilot project for Norway’s country-wide Sustainable Tourism Initiative.
Global Tourism Business Award - Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts, headquartered in Singapore

Their longstanding commitment to sustainability and creating tourism value recognition among stakeholders to support the protection of diverse natural and cultural heritage in worldwide destinations ranging from Mexico to China. Banyan Tree works through a three-pillar strategy: enhancing efficiency in environmental operations, conserving natural heritage and biodiversity, and social and economic empowerment of local people in the countries and regions where they operate. In addition to strong sustainable tourism practices, Banyan Tree has also fully integrated sustainability monitoring and evaluation across the company including its annual reports, in addition to issuing annual stand-alone sustainability performance reports that document projects, successes, and challenges. They have successfully done this for more than a decade, while also being one of the first global hospitality companies in the world to ban the sale of shark’s fin in all of their hotels in 2006.

Finalist and winners videos to launch soon

The Tourism for Tomorrow Awards media partner National Geographic Channel is currently putting together the 2012 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards finalist  and winners videos.

These videos will showcase the incredible projects, initiatives and operations that our finalists are achieving. They are incredible role models for the Travel & Tourism industry.

Each of the finalists are  pioneers in sustainable tourism...take a look for yourself

Community Benefit Award:

- Saunders Hotel Group, USA

- Soria Moria Boutique Hotel, Cambodia
- The Thailand Community Tourism Based Institute, Thailand

Conservation Award:

- Cheli & Peacock, Kenya
- Inkaterra Peru, Peru
- NamibRand Safaris: Wolwedans Collection, Namibia

Destination Stewardship Award:

- Destination Røros, Norway
- Misool Eco Resort, Indonesia
- Tanabe City Kumano Tourism Bureau, Japan

Global Tourism Business Award:

- Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts, Singapore
- REI Adventures, USA
- Wilderness, Botswana

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