Heading into its sixth year, the World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) Tourism for Tomorrow Awards has selected the city of Beijing for its 2010 festivities.

The awards, aimed at recognizing best practices in sustainable tourism across the globe, focuses on the travel industry as concerns continue to grow over the cultivation and preservation of both cultural and natural resources. 

An independent panel of judges, including some of the world’s most authoritative experts of sustainable development, as well as a stringent application process involving on-site verification visits by these experts, has made the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards one of the most highly-coveted accolades in the industry.

Awards are based on four main categories, including:

• Destination Stewardship
  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.
• Conservation
  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.
• Community Benefit
  This award is for a tourism initiative that has effectively demonstrated direct benefits to local people, including capacity building, the transfer of industry skills, and support for community development.
• Global Tourism Business
  Open to any large company from any sector of travel and 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.

The actual Tourism for Tomorrow Awards ceremony is slated to take place in May 2010, and is endorsed by WTTC members as well as other organizations and companies. They are organized in association with two Strategic Partners: Travelport and The Leading Travel Companies’ Conservation Foundation.

Other sponsors/supporters include: Adventures in Travel Expo, BEST Education Network, Breaking Travel News, the Daily Telegraph, eTurboNews, Friends of Nature, National Geographic Adventure and National Geographic Traveler, Planeterra, the Rainforest Alliance, Reed Travel Exhibitions, Sustainable Travel International, Tony Charters & Associates, Travelmole, Travesias, TTN Middle East, USA Today, and the World Heritage Alliance.

For more information, visit www.tourismfortomorrow.com.

Through its partnership with Green Living Project™ (GLP), Xola now offers destinations the unique benefits of cost-effective multi-media production (HD video, photography) and strategic online and offline marketing and distribution across North America. The high-quality, authentic, and issue-based multi-media content educates, inspires, and entertains viewers with the behind-the-scenes view of local sustainably-focused adventure travel companies and destinations.

The custom client-oriented media created in the course of Xola engagements will also be marketed and distributed through GLP’s website, social media properties, online content partners, Education Program, and popular North American Event Series at over 40 locations in partnership with National Geographic Adventure, Adventures in Travel Expo (ATE), Green Festival, R.E.I., African Wildlife Foundation, Earthwatch, Timberland, Keen Footwear, and many others.

“We’re thrilled to be able to link GLP with our destination clients – they beautifully support our team’s strategic work with thoughtful and entertaining high-definition video, photojournalism, and unusual travel stories to promote our clients’ cultural, adventure and natural resources,” said Christina Heyniger, president of Xola Consulting. “Based on the importance of documenting and promoting sustainable, responsible, and adventure tourism components, this strategic partnership is highly relevant to the travel market.”

“We are excited to partner with Xola since they expand our list of top-tier strategic partners into the tourism consulting industry,” said Rob Holmes, founder and president of Green Living Project™. “Based on the strong demand for professional and custom multi-media content, we look forward to exposing new clients to our unique media production platform, along with our effective marketing and distribution services throughout the North America travel market. We look forward to identifying and collaborating with Xola on innovative sustainability and adventure tourism projects around the globe.”

About Xola Consulting, Inc.
Xola specializes in consulting and research services for the adventure tourism industry, providing technical assistance to both adventure tour operators and government tourism boards and destination management organizations. Xola also publishes Off the Radar (www.travelofftheradar.com), an online newsletter and website providing information to adventure travelers about the best sustainable adventure travel destinations and trips.

• Peter Potterfield, adventure journalist and photographer, National Geographic ADVENTURE – 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
• Shannon Stowell, President, Adventure Travel Trade Association – 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
• John Bowermaster, National Geographic ADVENTURE contributor, writer and filmmaker – 12:15-1:15 p.m.
• Ashish Sanghrajka, Vice President, Big Five Tours and Expeditions – 12:15-1:15 p.m.
• Philippe Cousteau, Founder, President and CEO, EarthEcho International – 1:30-2:30 p.m.
• Arthur Frommer, Founder, Frommer’s Travel Guides – 2:45-3:45 p.m.
• Robert Young Pelton, National Geographic ADVENTURE contributor, author and filmmaker– 4-5 p.m.
• Anthony Saba, Manager, Goway Travel – 4-5 p.m.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

• John Bowermaster, National Geographic ADVENTURE contributor, writer and filmmaker – 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
• Women’s Adventure Session – Beth Whitman, Wanderlust and Lipstick, Pam Mandel, Nerd’s Eye View, Mary Jo Manzanares, The Seattle Traveler and Fly Away Café – 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
• Costas Christ, National Geographic ADVENTURE columnist and global travel editor – 12:15 p.m.-1:15 p.m.
• James Currie, Brand Ambassador, Conservation Corporation Africa – 12:15 p.m.-1:15 p.m.
• Rick Steves, best-selling author of 30+ European travel books and host of the PBS series “Rick Steves’ Europe” – 1:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m.
• Andrew Skurka, National Geographic ADVENTURE magazine’s 2007 Adventurer of the Year – 2:45 p.m.-3:45 p.m.
• Kathy Hill, Manager, Air New Zealand – 2:45 p.m.-3:45 p.m.

“The Adventures in Travel Expo is highly regarded for its rich seminar series and we are delighted to bring to Seattle the caliber of presenters for which the events have become known. These thought leaders will deliver expert knowledge and insight to the beauty and wonder of today’s active and adventure travel marketplace,” said John Golicz, Unicomm’s CEO. “Attendees are in for a one-of-a-kind experience where they will have the opportunity to experience, book, explore and participate in everything interesting and unique in active, adventure and experiential travel.”

Unicomm will utilize its hybrid trade/consumer model as the format for the Seattle show. The morning of September 13 will be dedicated to travel industry professionals and trade, while the core of the event will be open to the general public.

The Adventures in Travel Expo will take place at the Washington State Convention & Trade Center on Saturday, September 13 from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and on Sunday, September 14 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets go on sale August 1, 2008 and the cost of admission is $12 per day for adults and free for children under the age of 12. To purchase a ticket, visit www.adventureexpo.com/seattle.

About Adventures in Travel Expo
The Adventures in Travel Expo is the largest series of travel events in the United States. It is an ‘experiential marketplace’ for showcasing the vast array of travel options available to today’s travelers. The shows are filled with hundreds of interactive exhibits from around the globe and add a top notch educational component that affords consumers, travel agents, wholesalers and travel brokers the opportunity to experience the best of what the travel industry has to offer. From unique cultural performances on the Global Beats Stage, to two live presentation theaters, rock walls and zip lines, attendees of Adventures in Travel Expo truly experience a world of discovery. For more information visit the web site at www.adventureexpo.com.