The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) is pleased to announce the Winners of the 2016 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards. The Awards, which were presented at a special ceremony during the 16th WTTC Global Summit in Dallas, Texas, USA, showcase business leadership in sustainable tourism, celebrating ground-breaking and inspiring initiatives across five categories. The 2016 Winners are:
- Community Award: Expediciones Sierra Norte, Mexico
- Destination Award: Parkstad Limburg, Netherlands
- Environment Award: The Botswana Rhino Conservation Project by Wilderness Safaris, Botswana.
- Innovation Award: Carmacal Carbon Calculator by ANVR – The Netherlands Travel Trade Association,
- Netherlands People Award: Youth Career Initiative, United Kingdom & worldwide
Each year, a group of independent judges from the private sector, academic institutions, non-profit organisations and government come together to select the Finalists and Winners of the Awards. The three-stage judging process is extremely rigorous and includes thorough on-site evaluations of all finalists. This year it involved 36 judges and over 60 days of work in the field. David Scowsill, President and CEO, WTTC, says: “The 2016 winners of the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards are truly inspirational examples of tourism that has a long-term vision. In a world of shrinking resources, with increasing pressure on cultural heritage and local traditions, these organisations are living proof that Travel & Tourism can be a force for good. These companies are showing clear leadership in the industry.”
Fiona Jeffery, Chair of the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards, added: “This year’s Awards has yet again been an example of extraordinary business leadership in sustainable tourism. I would like to thank our team of international judges, led by Professor Graham Miller, who are so crucial to the rigour and credibility of the Awards. The 2016 finalists were of the highest calibre. Apart from praising the winners I would also emphasize that all the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards finalists are pioneers in their field. By sharing best practice across tourism businesses, private sector and governments, we can ensure that tourism continues to grow responsibly and ethically.”
Jeff Rutledge, CEO of AIG Travel, the Headline Sponsor of the awards, said “Sustainability is an issue of global importance in all industries, and the winners of the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards are leading the way in Travel and Tourism by driving social and environmental impact in the communities in which they operate. We should all be inspired by what they have achieved.”
