The Tourism for Tomorrow Award winners for 2019 have been announced by the World Tourism and Travel Council (WTTC), at a special Awards Ceremony, at the 19th WTTC Global Summit (3-4 April 2019), held in Seville, Spain. The 5 winners were selected from 15 finalists, across 5 different award categories. A total of 183 applications entered the 2019 awards, across both large, and small tourism businesses, suppliers, and destinations.
Now in their 15th year, the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards, showcase the world’s most inspiring sustainable travel organisations, and aim to recognise best practice in sustainable tourism within the global travel and tourism industry.
The awards are based on the 3 principles of:
- environmentally friendly operations;
- support for the protection of cultural and natural heritage;
- and direct benefits to the social and economic well-being of local people in global travel destinations.
For more information on the 2019 award categories, click here:
The 5 award categories are:
- Social Impact Award
- Destination Stewardship Award
- Climate Action Award
- Investing in People Award
- Changemakers Award
The 5 winners of the 2019 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards are:
- Climate Action Award:Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort, Aruba
- Investing in People Award:Lemon Tree Hotels Limited, India
- Destination Stewardship Award:St. Kitts Sustainable Destination Council, St. Kitts and Nevis
- Social Impact Award:Awamaki, Peru
- Changemakers Award:SEE Turtles, USA
The winners were selected following a 3-phase judging approach. This included a thorough review of all submitted applications by an expert panel of 25 judges, drawn from academia, business, and NGOs. The best 15 applications (the ‘finalists’), across the 5 award categories, at this stage, were then assessed further, through an onsite evaluation. A winner for each category was determined by the WTTC’s Winners’ Selection Committee. Learn more about the judging process here.
Gloria Guevara, President & CEO, WTTC, commented:
“The finalists in this year’s Tourism for Tomorrow Awards showcase the many ways in which our industry is dedicated to sustainable growth. In 2018, the Travel & Tourism sector contributed 10.4% of global GDP and supported 319 million jobs across the world. It is therefore essential that we continue to grow in the most sustainable and responsible way possible. The new award categories for this year are aligned with WTTC strategic priorities and illustrate that all members of this industry play a key role in driving the sector forward to a more responsible future. I congratulate them all on their fantastic accomplishments and leadership.”
The full list of Winners and Finalists 2019 are:
Climate Action Award: for organisations undertaking significant and measurable work to reduce the scale and impact of climate change.
WINNER: Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort, Aruba
FINALIST: The Brando, Tetiaroa Private Island, French Polynesia
FINALIST: Tourism Holdings Limited, New Zealand
Investing in People Award: for organisations demonstrating leadership in becoming an exciting, attractive, and equitable employer in the sector.
WINNER: Lemon Tree Hotels Limited, India
FINALIST: Reserva do Ibitipoca, Brazil
FINALIST: Shanga by Elewana Collection, Tanzania
Destination Stewardship Award: for organisations helping a place to thrive and bring forward its unique identity for the benefit of its residents and tourists.
WINNER: St. Kitts Sustainable Destination Council, St. Kitts and Nevis
FINALIST: Grupo Rio da Prata, Jardim and Bonito, Brazil
FINALIST: Masungi Georeserve, Philippines
Social Impact Award: for organisations working to improve the people and places where they operate.
WINNER: Awamaki, Peru
FINALIST: Intrepid Group, Australia
FINALIST: Nikoi Island, Indonesia
Change makers Award: this year focused on organisations fighting the illegal wildlife trade through sustainable tourism.
WINNER: SEE Turtles, USA
FINALIST: Kelompok Peduli Lingkungan Belitung (KPLB), Indonesia
FINALIST: The Cardamom Tented Camp, Cambodia
Reading:
- WTTC’s Tourism For Tomorrow Awards website, click here
- The Guardian article (5 April 2019) Tourism for Tomorrow awards 2019: winners and finalists, profiles 10 finalists in-depth, click here.
