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2007 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards
Winners were announced at the Global Travel & Tourism Summit
By: Mary Gostelow
The winners of the 2007 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards were announced by The World Travel & Tourism Council WTTC at the 7th Global Travel & Tourism Summit in Lisbon, Portugal, on May 11th.
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The winners of the four categories are:
Destination Award – Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Conservation Award – Aspen Skiing Company, USA
Investor in People Award – Nihiwatu Resort, Indonesia
Global Tourism Business Award – Lindblad Expeditions, USA & Global
The Awards recognize and promote the best practices in tourism development. Chairman of the judges was Costas Christ, world expert in sustainable tourism, and he and his panels evaluated in depth, including onsite visits. The other judges were Graham Boynton, Group Travel Editor, The Telegraph Media Group, UK; The Hon John Briceño, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources, Local Government and the Environment, Belize; Fiona Jeffery, Managing Director, World Travel Market, London; Hitesh Mehta, Director of Ecotourism, EDSA Landscape Architects, Planners & Graphic Designers, USA. WOW.travel is honored to be a sponsor of the awards, along with 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, and TTN Middle East.
As Costas Christ says, “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 eco-lodges 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.”
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) is an Australian Government statutory authority. It manages the Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest UNESCO-recognized World Heritage Area and one of the world's most recognizable tourism icons. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (the Marine Park) welcomes nearly 2 million tourists and 4.9 million recreational visitors each year. The Marine Park tourism industry is based on the iconic status of the Great Barrier Reef. The future well-being of both the Marine Park and the tourism industry are inextricably linked – a healthy Marine Park tourism industry will always need a healthy Great Barrier Reef to present to its visitors. The increasing realisation of this interdependence has led to the development of a strong and active partnership between the GBRMPA and the Marine Park tourism industry. This partnership directly helps achieve a
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well-managed and sustainable industry as well as significantly improving environmental, cultural and business outcomes in the Marine Park.
Aspen Skiing Company operates the four mountains in the Aspen/Snowmass area - Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk, hosting 1.4 million skiers and employing 3,400 people each winter, demonstrating a rare example of large scale tourism that operates on a sound environmental management plan. Aspen Skiing Company was the first US ski resort to buy wind power, use bio-diesel, build certified green buildings, and comply with the ISO 14001 standard. And, with 100 percent of its electricity use coming from renewable energy through the largest purchase of renewable energy certificates in the ski industry, Aspen has taken a major stand on global warming while educating its employees, guests and media on the urgent need to address climate change.
On every count, Nihiwatu Resort stands out as a truly exceptional island resort; it is wild, remote and makes for an amazing destination for the adventurous. 14 exotic villas and bungalows are sculpted onto the cliff’s edge using thatch, bamboo and wood. Large rooms display tribal artefacts and ikat weavings, and you can relax into rattan chairs outside on the sea-facing balconies. The setting is pristine and endlessly peaceful. Nihiwatu is the perfect romantic escape for honeymooners and couples, the resort Spa experiences are unforgettable. Excitement seekers need look no further; there is world class fishing, diving and surfing. Nearby are Stone Age sites and local villages, waterfalls and fabulous secluded beaches to explore. Luxury is the lure at Nihiwatu, but three’s a truly remarkable humanitarian story at work here. The owners camped on one of Sumba’s isolated beaches for several years with no electricity or running water while developing friendships with local people and gradually building a luxury resort that has done wonders for the health and education of the island’s local communities.
Sven Olof Lindblad, runs Lindblad Expeditions (LEX), which focuses on sustainable and innovative tourism practices that include philanthropy, conservation, education and micro-enterprise. The company's programs span the globe in Galapagos, Antarctica, Baja California, Alaska, the Arctic, and beyond. It launched the Galapagos Conservation Fund (GCF) in 1997 as an opportunity for guests to contribute directly to local conservation. The GCF has since raised more than US$3.5 million, with 100% supporting local projects. More than 150 Galapagos teachers have also participated in the Teachers on Board program, designed to deepen local teachers' natural history knowledge and inspire conservation stewardship. Sven Lindblad is the son of Lars-Eric Lindblad, who pioneered eco-friendly expedition travel from 1958.
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