Who are this year’s Tourism for Tomorrow Award finalists?

The World Travel & Tourism Council has officially announced its 12 finalists for the 2010 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards – one of the most prestigious awards in the sustainable travel industry.

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has officially announced its 12 finalists for the 2010 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards – one of the most prestigious awards in the sustainable travel industry. The winners will be announced on May 26, 2010.

Since 2003, the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards have worked to highlight and recognize best practice in sustainable tourism in four different categories – Destination Stewardship, Conservation, Community Benefit and Global Tourism Business.

For this year, over 160 entries were received from over 45 countries.

Selected by an international team of independent judges, the 12 finalists were named in each of the four award 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.

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.

• Botswana Tourism Board – www.botswanatourism.co.bw
• Country of Montenegro, Ministry of Tourism – www.montenegro.travel
• Mount Huangshan Scenic Site, China – www.chinahuangshan.gov.cn

Conservation Award
Open 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.

• Emirates Hotels & Resorts, UAE – www.emirateshotelsresorts.com
• Inkaterra Perú SAC – www.inkaterra.com
• 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.

• Namibia’s Communal Conservancy Tourism Sector / NACSO -www.nacso.org.na
• Tourindia, India – www.tourindiakerala.com
• Whale Watch Kaikoura Ltd, New Zealand – www.whalewatch.co.nz

Global Tourism Business Award
Open to any large company from any sector of Travel & Tourism – cruise lines, hotel groups, airlines, tour operators, etc – with at least 200 full-time employees and operating in more than one country or in more than one destination in a single country, this award recognizes best practices in sustainable tourism at a large company level.

• Accor, France & Global – www.accor.com
• Banyan Tree Holdings, Singapore & Global – www.banyantree.com
• Wilderness Safaris, South Africa & Global – www.wilderness-safaris.com

For more on the finalists as well as the panel of judges, visit www.tourismfortomorrow.com.

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awards, events, Tourism for Tomorrow Awards, World Travel Market (WTM)