Now in their 15th year, the tourism industry’s longest running and best known responsible tourism awards are once again looking to find the most inspiring companies and organisations work around the world.
Anyone can enter, however small or large their organisation, so long as they have a remarkable story to share how they are using tourism to make the world a better place.
For 2018, there are five categories which people can apply for.
‘Best for Managing Success’ looks for destinations that are coping with the demands of so called ‘Overtourism’.
‘Best for Communicating Responsible Tourism’ seeks to recognise either a campaign by company or organisation that has raised awareness of an issue, changed behaviour or a marketing campaign using the aspirations of Responsible Tourism.
The ‘Best for Employment Conditions’ award will be given to the company leading the way to ensure quality work for its staff.
‘Best for Local Economic Benefit’ is for ensuring best practice in benefiting the local economy through employment and local sourcing.
And finally, the ‘Best for Wildlife’ award will be given to the company or organisation who impresses the judges the most with its work using tourism to improve the conservation of species and/or animal welfare in the wild.
The judges for this year’s awards are leaders in their own right from across the tourism and sustainability sectors.
Lead as always by Chair of Judges Professor Harold Goodwin, they are:
- Debbie Hindle, Managing Director of Four Travel – part of Four Communications;
- Matt Walpole, Senior Director for Conservation Programmes at Fauna & Flora International (FFI);
- Rebecca Armstrong, founder of the consultancy Responsible Tourism Matters;
- Ian Corbett, Sustainable Business Manager for TUI UK & Ireland;
- John de Vial, Director of Travelife;
- Justin Francis, CEO of Responsible Travel;
- Mark Watson, former Executive Director at Tourism Concern;
- Martin Brackenbury, Director of Classic Collection Holidays;
- Simon Press, Senior Exhibition Director WTM London;
- BBC journalist Tanya Beckett, who also presents this year’s awards;
- David Ville, Group Sustainability Manager, Thomas Cook Group;
- Dr Tom Moorhouse is a post-doctoral researcher at Oxford University’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit; and
- Professor Xavier Font, professor of sustainability marketing at the University of Surrey.
WTM’s Responsible Tourism awards are free to enter, and open for applications until Monday 6 August. Application forms can be downloaded from the WTM website here.