Community Benefit Award Finalists
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Reviving a stagnant agricultural industry in India by combining it with tourism, helping disadvantaged communities in Mozambique and South Africa – this is the work of the 2011 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards finalists for the Community Benefit category.
Entrants directly benefit local people, supporting community development and enhancing cultural heritage. Finalists are:
Agri Tourism Development Corporation, India
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Founded in 2005 by Pandurang Taware, entrepreneur and descendant of a farming community, Agri Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) is a company that facilitates agricultural tourism in the Indian state of Maharashtra. With a stagnating Indian agricultural industry, farmers across Maharashtra are looking at agri-tourism as a means of diversifying business opportunities and securing a viable livelihood.
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Guludo Beach Lodge, Mozambique
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Situated in the Quirimbas National Park, Northern Mozambique, this lodge opened in 2006 after four careful years of scoping in one of Mozambique's most deprived areas. Guludo Beach Lodge is a commercial enterprise that operates using fair trade principles, and its associated charity, the Nema Foundation, works with 16 local communities to implement projects.
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Pride ‘n Purpose – Ulusaba Private Game Reserve, South Africa
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Working on a non-profit basis, Pride 'n Purpose is Ulusaba's charitable arm committed to helping disadvantaged communities living adjacent to the reserve. Pride 'n Purpose's work is achieved both through the provision of basic needs, such as access to food, water and health services, and by empowering communities through sustainable development initiatives.
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Once again, winners and finalists will be recognised at WTTC’s annual Global Travel & Tourism Summit, held this year at the sustainably-designed and certified Aria Resort in Las Vegas from 17 – 19 May. Delegates at the Summit will find out the winners in each category as part of the event’s official opening ceremony and welcome dinner. The Tourism for Tomorrow Awards are organised in association with Travelport and the Travel Corporation's Conservation Foundation.
www.globaltraveltourism.com
Download the Preliminary Summit Programme here >>
Virtual Hotel Room Teaches Tourists and Hotel Owners about Sustainability
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Tourism entrepreneurs and travellers who want to explore tourism that benefits local communities, respects cultural diversity and contributes to conservation should take a tour of the virtual SmartLodge (www.rainforest-alliance.org/multimedia/smartlodge).
Developed by the Rainforest Alliance, an international sustainability organisation, the SmartLodge is an interactive hotel room packed with practical advice on the simple steps that tourism companies and travellers can take to advance toward sustainability.
“The SmartLodge is the perfect complement to the training and technical assistance that the Rainforest Alliance already provides tourism businesses,” said Ronald Sanabria, the Rainforest Alliance’s vice president of sustainable tourism. “It’s a tool that is accessible to all and we hope that travellers and tourism businesses choose to take advantage of it."
Located near a national park, the virtual SmartLodge is surrounded by a wealth of nature and overlooks an active volcano. By clicking on objects in the hotel room, such as a lamp or a rubbish bin, users can watch short videos or read about how sustainable tourism benefits biodiversity and communities.
"When developing the content, we worked to identify areas where business owners and tourists could both make a difference," explained Sanabria.
The SmartLodge was created with support from the Inter-American Development Bank’s Multilateral Investment Fund. It joins two comparable virtual tools on the Rainforest Alliance website: the SmartFarm and the SmartHouse, which introduce users to the people and processes behind sustainable farming and forestry.
WTM Vision Conference –London
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World Travel Market, the leading global event for the travel industry, is delighted to announce a high profile speaker line up for WTM Vision Conference – London on 25 May 2011.
Following the success of the previous two WTM Vision events in London – almost 150 delegates attended in 2010 – it has been moved to the bigger venue of Confederation of British Industry headquarters in Centre Point, Tottenham Court Road, London to facilitate anticipated strong demand.
TUI Specialist Managing Director Clare Tobin, Shearings Chief Executive Denis Wormwell and Royal Caribbean International UK and Ireland Managing Director and Vice President Dominic Paul will share their thoughts and opinions with WTM Vision Conference – London senior industry delegates.
The event evaluates the worldwide travel industry with exclusive research supplied by Euromonitor International (worth more than £1,000). Head of Travel & Tourism Research, Euromonitor International Caroline Bremner will present the report’s findings and answer delegates’ questions.
Visit www.wtmlondon.com/visionlondon to register and for further information.
THINK TANK XI, Philadelphia 21-24 May 2011
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BEST Education Network is holding Think Tank XI: "Learning for Sustainable Tourism" from 21-24 May 2011 in conjunction with Temple University in Philadelphia.
The Think Tank provides a framework for participants who want to embrace their creativity, to explore new ideas and unconventional approaches and to further the field of sustainable tourism.
At BEST EN’s annual Think Tank, all tourism researchers, educators and practitioners with an interest in sustainable tourism are welcome to join in the collaborative development of research and educational materials through creative and outcome-driven collective activities.
The Think Tank uses provocative keynote addresses, industry speakers and local site visits to stimulate creative thinking and to produce tangible outcomes.
This year’s theme "Learning for Sustainable Tourism" highlights the importance of education and learning to promote and implement sustainable tourism practices in tourism. Keynote speeches are delivered by Dr Janne Liburd, University of Southern Denmark on “Collaborative Learning for Sustainable Tourism” and by Dr Cynthia Deale, Center for Sustainable Tourism, East Carolina University on “Teaching Tools for Learning for Sustainable Tourism.”
For more information about the upcoming conference, including the online registration form please visit the BEST EN home page: http://www.besteducationnetwork.org/next_tt.php
Susann Kruegel
Manager, Policy Initiatives
World Travel & Tourism Council
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7481 8007
Email: susann.kruegel@wttc.org
Web: www.tourismfortomorrow.com
Watch the 2010 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards on our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/wttc or join our Tourism for Tomorrow Awards Facebook page
We would like to thank our sponsors and contributors. The Awards are organised in association with two Strategic Partners: Travelport and The Travel Corporation’s Conservation Foundation. Other sponsors/supporters include: Adventure Travel Trade Association, Arthur Former’s Budget Travel Magazine, BEST Education Network, Breaking Travel News, Travel, CNBC, e-TurboNews, Global Sustainable Tourism Council, the International Tourism Partnership/Green Hotelier, Mercado e Eventos, National Geographic Channel/Sky News, National Geographic Traveler, Newsweek International, Planeterra, Rainforest Alliance, Reed Travel Exhibitions, Saffron Media, Simon & Baker Travel Review, Sustainable Travel International, Tony Charters & Associates, Travel Daily News, Travelmole, Travel Weekly US, Travesias, TTN Middle East, TW Group, and USA Today.
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