Costas Christ, chairman of the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards judges, Andrew Skeat, Great Barrier Reef, Lisha Mulquenny, Great Barrier Reef, Jean-Claude Baumgarten, president, WTTC and Jeff Hanle, Aspen Skiing Company
Lisbon , Portugal – The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) recently announced the winners of the 2007 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards at the 7th Global Travel & Tourism Summit. The Awards recognize and promote best practices in tourism development around the world. The 2007 winners in the four categories are: Destination Award Great Barrier Reef, Australia; Conservation Award, Aspen Skiing Company, United States; Investor in People Award, Nihiwatu Resort , Indonesia; and Global Tourism Business Award, Lindblad Expeditions, United States and global.
The winners were selected by a panel of five judges chaired by Costas Christ. The judging process included on-site evaluation visits of award finalists by a team of sustainable tourism experts. The judges were Christ, judging chairman, Tourism for Tomorrow Awards, United Kingdom; Graham Boynton, group travel editor, The Telegraph Media Group, United Kingdom; John Briceño, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources, Local Government and the Environment, Belize; Fiona Jeffery, managing director, World Travel Market, United Kingdom; and Hitesh Mehta, director of Ecotourism, EDSA Landscape Architects, Planners & Graphic Designers, United States.
“Over the past few years, we have witnessed a positive growth in environmentally sustainable business activity not only among the Travel and Tourism industry but also beyond. Consumer consciousness has encouraged companies, and especially WTTC companies, to engage in sustainable programs by delivering environmentally friendly products,” said Geoffrey Kent, chairman, WTTC. “While there remains a need to generate profit, the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards are helping demonstrate that companies can balance business and economic growth with ethics and sustainability.”
The 2007 awards were sponsored by Adventure in Travel Expo, British Airways, Espírito Santo Tourism, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Opodo, Reed Travel Exhibitions and TAP Portugal. Media partners include 4hoteliers, BBC World, ETurboNews, National Geographic Adventure, Newsweek, Simon & Baker Travel Review, The Telegraph Media Group, TravelDailyNews, the Travel Channel, TravelMole, Travel Weekly, TTN Middle East and WOW.travel.
“The 2007 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards winners represent a major turning point in the global tourism industry. Gone are the days when there were only a handful of ecolodges or a few small tour operators who were doing sustainable tourism successfully. Today’s best practice models also represent major tourism destinations and global tourism companies that are helping to protect cultural and natural heritage and support the well being of local peoples,” said Christ during the ceremony.
WTTC is a forum for business leaders in the travel and tourism industry. The organization counts among its members chief executives of one hundred of the world’s leading travel and tourism companies. WTTC works to raise awareness of travel and tourism as one of the world’s largest industries, employing approximately 231 million people and generating over 10 per cent of world’s gross domestic product.
Photo: World Travel & Tourism Council
