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London, UK, 26
January 2006 - Today the World Travel & Tourism
Council (WTTC) announced the 12 finalists for the
2006 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards. The prestigious
Awards represent the highest accolade for best
practice in tourism development around the
world. The finalists
were selected by an international committee of
experts from over 100 applications from more than
35 countries representing the full spectrum of
Travel & Tourism enterprises, large, medium,
and small. Costas Christ, Judging Chairman for the
Awards and an internationally recognized expert on
sustainable tourism said, "The committee was
extremely impressed by the high quality of entries
for these awards. It is inspiring to see the
growing number of businesses and organizations
around the world committed to the principles of
responsible tourism. From small lodges to entire
regions, we are seeing role models emerging in all
corners of the globe." The
finalists for each of the four categories are, in
alphabetical order: Destination
Award Crete's Culinary
Sanctuaries, Greece Kerala,
India Sierra Gorda,
Mexico Conservation
Award Bushman's Kloof
Wilderness Reserve & Retreat, South
Africa Campi ya Kanzi,
Kenya Dolphin Watch
Pamilacan, Philippines Investor in
People Award Hotel Punta
Islita, Costa Rica Turtle Island,
Fiji Yachana Lodge,
Ecuador Global
Tourism Business Award Chaa Creek,
Belize Fairmont Hotels
& Resorts, Canada and Worldwide Intrepid Travel,
Australia and Worldwide During the next
phase of the judging process, each finalist will be
visited by a WTTC / Tourism for Tomorrow
representative who will carry out an on-site
verification visit to ensure that the high
standards outlined in the award applications are
indeed being met in practice. Brian Mullis,
President of Sustainable Travel International and a
member of the finalist selection committee said,
"By combining an on-site inspection visit with a
careful review of the information submitted by each
award applicant, the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards
are raising the standard for recognizing best
tourism practices globally." The winners of each
category, selected by the Panel of Judges following
the on-site verification visits to all finalists,
will be announced during a special ceremony at the
Gala Dinner of the 6th Global Travel & Tourism
Summit in Washington, DC on April 11. Jean-Claude
Baumgarten, President, WTTC said "We are very
encouraged by the interest shown in the Tourism for
Tomorrow Awards and the commitment shown by
enterprises around the world to best
practice. Travel & Tourism is an
important generator of jobs and growth, with
enormous potential to provide sustainable
livelihoods to communities even in the most remote
areas. We are delighted to be honouring the
leading examples of where this is really happening.
" For more
information please contact Louise Oram,
Communications & PR Co-ordinator on + 44 (0) 20
7481 8007 or louise@wttc.org or go to
www.tourismfortomorrow.com The
Finalists' Selection Committee Costas Christ,
CEO, Bar Harbor Maine Chamber of
Commerce
Columnist and Contributing Editor, National
Geographic Adventure Committee: Raul Arias de
Para, Owner, Canopy Towers, Panama Tony Charters,
Principal, Tony Charters & Associates,
Australia John Guthrie,
Head of International Resourcing and
Development, Hilton, UK Marilu
Hernandez, President, Fundacion Haciendas del Mundo
Maya, Mexico Brian Mullis,
President, Sustainable Travel International,
USA Meitamai Ole
Dapash, Founder / Executive Director, Maasai
Environment Resource Coalition (MERC) Mandip
Singh-Soin FRGS, Founder & Managing Director,
Ibex Expeditions Pvt Ltd, India Ary Suhandi,
Executive Director, INDECON, Indonesia Albert Teo,
Managing Director, Borneo Eco Tours,
Malaysia Richard Weiss,
Vice President, Walt Disney Imagineering,
USA Christopher
Whinney, Managing Director, ATG Oxford,
UK Shortlisted
Candidates Destination
Award Crete's
Culinary Sanctuaries, Greece Crete's Culinary
Sanctuaries offers cultural-culinary tours for
small groups. Participants discover the
secrets of Crete's wild nature, culture, and
cuisine during visits to historic sites, organic
farms, villages off the map, tranquil beaches, and
walks in the majestic countryside. An all-local
network, which spans the whole island, of dedicated
chefs, sustainable organic farmers, botanists, and
archaeologists work together to present a memorable
experience for visitors from around the world. CCS
is a sustainable tourism-in-action program whose
aim is to promote and protect Crete's cultural
heritage and natural beauty by supporting residents
actively working toward that goal.
Simultaneously, projects aim to rekindle visitor
interest in Crete's nature and culture, which helps
to curb the destruction caused by mass tourism and
generic forms of entertainment that deplete the
island of its heritage and natural
resources. www.cookingincrete.com Kerala,
India Kerala has long
been a favourite destination in India and tourism
is a vital source of income for the state. It
is a catalytic agent for generating employment, an
important source for earning foreign exchange, a
vehicle for developing the environment as well as a
valuable tool for preserving the State's culture
and heritage. Sustainable tourism development
in Kerala is driven by the Tourism Developmental
Authority, which comprises public and private
sector stakeholders. The state has framed
legislation for the development of tourism and is
undertaking a wide variety of projects focusing on
conservation, preservation, community development
and raising awareness of the importance of
responsible tourism development to both communities
and visitors. www.keralatourism.org Sierra Gorda,
Mexico The Sierra Gorda
Biosphere Reserve, located in the state of
Querétaro, is the most ecodiverse and second
most biodiverse Reserve in the country, and has
been awarded UNESCO World Heritage status.
Sierra Gorda Ecotours, developed by the Grupo
Ecológico Sierra Gorda which oversees
environmental conservation efforts, provides the
opportunity for visitors to enjoy the biosphere
while ensuring the conservation of biodiversity and
contributing to the livelihoods of communities, who
operate the three lodges. Within the
conservation framework of the Biosphere Reserve
(which is Mexico's most populated Natural Protected
Area), Sierra Gorda Ecotours promotes and
supervises training for lodges, implements quality
standards and undtertakes publicity
activities. www.sierragordamexico.org Conservation
Award Bushmans Kloof
Wilderness Reserve & Retreat, South
Africa Bushmans Kloof
is a privately owned wilderness reserve and is
world renowned for its 130 rock art sites. Luxury
accommodation and five star service are situated
within a unique wilderness inhabited by indigenous
game. The reserve was bought in a private capacity
in 1990 and consolidated six former arable and
stock farms that were severely neglected and
over-grazed. The land was developed and the veldt
rehabilitated and after consultation with renowned
wildlife and botanical experts, a 20-year
environmental management plan was introduced. Since
1996 tourists have been welcomed on the reserve and
profits gained by tourism are reinvested in
conservation projects as well as training and
employment programmes for staff from the local
area. www.bushmanskloof.co.za Campi Ya Kanzi,
Kenya Campi ya Kanzi
offers luxury tented accomodations for exclusive
private Maasai-led walking safaris in Kenya.
It is a community based entrepreneurial initiative
in Kenya's prime game area between Amboseli and
Tsavo parks in the Maasai reserve. In an area
where 75 per cent of the wildlife population lives
outside officially designated Game Reserves and
National Parks, Campi ya Kanzi offers a way for
conservation to involve landlords in protecting the
wildlife that roams their land. Conservation
fees charged to visitors are reinvested in the
community, assisting with employment of teachers,
providing health care and building infrastructure
projects such as schools and dispensaries.
The Maasai have participated in all stages of the
development of Campi ya Kanzi, from the building to
the management and running of the camp. www.maasai.com Dolphin Watch
Pamilacan, Philippines Dolphin Watch
Pamilacan offers unique marine tours in the waters
of Bohol, Central Philippines. Since 1999
these tours have been instrumental in turning the
tide against illegal and unsustainable fishing in
this area by providing an economic alternative to
local communities. Dolphin Watch Pamilacan is
a community owned business made up of former
dolphin and whale hunters from Pamilacan Island.
The tours provide jobs for men and women and
generate profits that are reinvested in the
business as well as environmental and social
projects on the island. By providing an
alternative form of income for residents of
Pamilacan Island, Dolphin Watch has not only been
able to change attitudes towards marine life but
engage a whole community in the protection of its
natural heritage. Investor in
People Award Hotel Punta
Islita, Costa Rica Hotel Punta
Islita is a boutique hotel located on a remote cove
of Costa Rica's Guanacaste Province. Entirely
owned by Costa Rican investors, it is set in a
pristine tract of tropical dry forest and is
trimmed by the Pacific Ocean's uncharted plains,
and rugged mountains. Since its 1994
inauguration, Hotel Punta Islita bound its success
to the consolidation of strong symbiotic ties with
the surrounding villages and townships.
Providing tangible benefits, educational programs,
and economic opportunities to the local communities
has gradually transformed a slash-and-burn
impoverished agricultural area into a thriving
collective of tourism professionals and
entrepreneurs. Today, the hotel offers a
unique and successful blend of rational luxury and
cultural authenticity set in a framework of
responsible tourism. www.hotelpuntalislita.com Turtle Island,
Fiji Turtle Island is
a luxury resort in the Yasawa Island Chain in a
community of 3500 people living in 7 different
villages on 3 surrounding islands. This
luxury resort is committed to improving the
standard of living for residents of the Yasawa
Islands by providing medical clinics, building
secondary schools and helping create budget resorts
and businesses owned and operated by
villagers. Through the Evanson Learning
Centre and Oarsman's Bay Job Creation Project,
Turtle Island is providing education and
opportunities for local people with a focus on
proactive strategy capacity building.
Visitors to Turtle Island visit the projects daily,
opening up the community to new ideas and concepts
while offering guests the chance to understand the
island's unique culture. www.turtlefiji.com.au Yachana Lodge,
Ecuador Yachana is an
eco-lodge situated in the heart of the Ecuadorian
Amazon rainforest. Accessible only by canoe, the
lodge offers a unique window into the life and
wonder of the Amazon rainforest for visitors while
providing opportunities for employment, education,
healthcare and rainforest conservation for local
staff and students. Yachana Lodge was
constructed in 1995 by the Foundation for
Integrated Education and Development (FUNDESIN) and
employs an innovative development model based on a
non-profit/for-profit organizational structure. Its
educational programme empowers local youth by
providing them with firsthand skills and knowledge
in sustainable agricultural practices, rainforest
conservation and eco-tourism that will enable them
to reduce poverty in their own communities and find
meaningful employment in the future. www.yachana.com Global Tourism
Business Award Chaa Creek,
Belize Chaa Creek has
pioneered natural history tourism in Belize since
becoming Belize's first jungle lodge in 1981.
The lodge is nestled along the verdant banks of the
Macal River in the foothills of the ancient Maya
Mountains where it strives to amicably coexist with
the natural environment of one of the last
remaining intact tropical forests north of the
Amazon basin. The design and construction of Chaa
Creek's 18 thatched roof cottage rooms and six
luxury suites has evolved around the use of
vernacular architecture using indigenous craftsmen
and local materials combined with modern technology
for improved efficiency and sustainability. Chaa
Creek's staff is entirely comprised of Belizeans
from the local towns and villages offering visitors
the chance to understand local customs and cultures
as well as providing tangible benefits for local
communities. www.chaacreek.com Fairmont Hotels
& Resorts, Canada and Global Since 1884,
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has welcomed guests
to a remarkable collection of castles, lodges,
meeting places and retreats. Today 44 branded
destinations in eight countries around the world
reflect authentic surroundings, offer genuine
service and promise lasting memories. The
company was founded on an enduring connection to
the land and communities where it does business and
since 1990 has pioneered the Fairmont Green
Partnership. The program focuses on improvements in
the areas of waste management, energy and water
conservation, as well as a strong element of
community outreach through local groups and
partnerships. Fairmont's commitment to
sustainability encompasses everything from
recycling and organic waste diversion in the
hotel's kitchens to retrofitting energy efficient
lighting. www.fairmont.com Intrepid Travel,
Australia and Global Intrepid Travel
operates small group adventure trips across Asia,
Australasia, the Middle East and Europe and is
committed to travelling in a way that both respects
and benefits local people, their culture and the
environment. As part of this commitment,
Intrepid gives back to the communities by
supporting many local conservation and welfare
projects. In 2003, The Intrepid Foundation
was established in conjunction with the Charities
Aid Foundation (CAF) to increase this support and
invite travellers to contribute. Intrepid's
commitment to environmental sustainability reaches
from its Melbourne head office to destinations
where sustainable practices are encouraged and
promoted. Local guides are employed for all trips
and group leaders communicate the company's values
to travellers and local communities, educating them
in sustainable tourism practices. www.intrepidtravel.com About the
Tourism for Tomorrow Awards The Tourism for
Tomorrow Awards recognize and promote best practice
in tourism development all over the world. The
Awards are sponsored by WTTC Members including
British Airways, InterContinental Hotels Group,
Opodo, Reed Travel Exhibitions and Adventures in
Travel Expo. Media sponsors of the Awards
are: BBC World, eTurbo News, The Telegraph,
Newsweek, National Geographic Adventure and Travel
Mole. For more information please visit
www.tourismfortomorrow.com About the
World Travel & Tourism Council The World Travel
& Tourism Council is the global business
leaders' forum for Travel & Tourism. Its
Members are Chairmen, Chief Executives and
Presidents of the world's most prominent Travel
& Tourism organizations. It is the only body
representing the private sector in all parts of the
Travel & Tourism industry worldwide. For more
information please visit www.wttc.org. For more
information on the Global Travel & Tourism
Summit please visit www.globaltraveltourism.com
.
Tourism
for Tomorrow Awards 2006
Finalists - Shortlist Showcases the World's Leading
Examples of Best Practice in Tourism
Development