Guyana shines in CTO/Travelmole Sustainable Tourism Awards

Guyana was the biggest winner at this year’s Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO)/TravelMole Sustainable Tourism Awards.

The country won three of the five awards at the ceremony which took place at the 13th Annual Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development (STC-13) at the Guyana International Conference Centre.

The 2012 awards comprised five categories covering all aspects of sustainability, from overall excellence, to accommodation, community, heritage and biodiversity.

The awards were judged by a panel of three tourism and environmental specialists – Jacqueline Kuehnel, principal at JK Consulting Enterprises in Canada, Andrew Rhikkie Alexander, eco-agro community participation tourism specialist for Guyana and St. Lucia, and the CTO’s sustainable tourism product specialist Gail Henry.

– The Caribbean Excellence in Sustainable Tourism Award was won by Guyana’s Rupununi Learners Inc., a project which strives to improve the quality of life of the Rupununi inhabitants by enhancing literacy and numeracy, providing access to information and preserving indigenous and local knowledge.

Jamaica’s Hotel Mockingbird Hill was also commended in this category.

– Winner of the Sustainable Accommodation Award went to the Accra Beach Hotel and Spa in Barbados for positively impacting the local supply chain and community whilst minimising negative environmental impact, and contributing to conservation of local culture.

Special mentions were also given to Hotel Mockingbird Hill and The Tyrall Club in Jamaica.

– The Community Benefit Award was awarded to Guyana’s Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development for its long term commitment to conservation and community development.

The Bahamas National Coastal Awareness Committee and the Mero Enhancement Committee in Dominica were also highly commended.

Kalinago Barana Aute in Dominica took home the Heritage Protection Award for its work in preserving and educating visitors about the last remaining Kalinago people in the Caribbean, whilst harnessing effective community development.

The Colours Entertainment & Junkanoo Organisation in the Bahamas was also recognised in this category.

The Biodiversity Award went to Guyana’s Mangrove Reserve Women Producers Project for its work at positively impacting an economically depressed area of Guyana whilst aiding community development.

The Caribbean Research & Management of Biodiversity Foundation (CARMABI) received a special mention in the category.