New Forest wins top prize in Responsible Tourism Awards

The New Forest has scooped the top prize in the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards unveiled at World Travel Market.

The judges said they were unanimous in their praise for The New Forest, a destination which has worked over the last 15 years with visitors, the industry, the community – including commoners and small holders – to look after the environment and benefit all interests as well as providing a model for other destinations to follow.

“This includes the exciting contribution of the New Forest Breakfast to sustainable development, only possible because there are now sufficient local suppliers to meet the demand for local produce from locals and visitors,” the judges said.

More than 1,700 nominations were received for the 2007 awards organised by online travel directory responsibletravel.com in association with WTM, The Times and Geographical Magazine – recognising companies and organisations in the travel industry that are making a significant commitment to responsible tourism.

Launched in 2004, the awards ask tourists to nominate those tourism ventures that they feel provide outstanding holidays that also benefit local people and the destination.

Best Destination was The New Forest – For demonstrating how the economic, social and environmental objectives of responsible tourism can be achieved with the full participation of all the stakeholders at the destination level. The New Forest has set an example which others are seeking to emulate and surpass.

*Highly commended: Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka and Costa Rica

Best personal contribution was Anthony Climpson, The New Forest – For 20 years, long before green became fashionable, Anthony Climpson was developing an integrated approach to managing tourism in the landscape, successfully engaging local communities, local government and tourism businesses in conserving the New Forest.

*Highly commended: Dr Cheryl Mvula, wildlife conservation and responsible tourism consultant and Charlotte Shigwedha, managing director, Mondesa Township Tours, Namibia

Best Tour Operator was Gecko’s Adventures, Australia – Chosen for maximising the positive economic and social impacts of its tours, through the use of locally owned accommodation and their employment of local tour leaders who share with travellers their passion for its country’s history, heritage, culture and natural beauty.

*Highly commended: KE Adventure Travel, Tribes Travel and Imaginative Traveller

Best Large Hotel/Accommodation (more than 50 rooms) was Apex Hotels, UK – For efforts in urban regeneration, converting office blocks on brownfield sites into hotels and ensuring that they are as environmentally friendly as possible.

*Highly commended: Evason Phuket & Six Senses Spa, Thailand and Radisson SAS Hotel, Edinburgh, UK

Best Small Hotel/Accommodation (less than 50 rooms) was Finca Esperanza Verde Ecolodge, Nicaragua – For using tourism to generate local, economic development in a rural area of Nicaragua by improving infrastructure as well as creating employment and enterprise opportunities and demonstrating what a positive difference tourism can make in a local community.

*Highly commended: Papillote Wilderness Retreat, Dominica and Lamai Homestay & Guesthouse, Thailand

Best Low Carbon Transport & Technology was Eurostar – For developing the comprehensive ‘Tread lightly’ programme to reduce Eurostar’s negative environmental impacts across the whole business, on the rails and at the terminals; using biodegradable and recyclable disposables; recycling water; reducing energy consumption and setting a whole business example which airlines could follow.

*Highly commended: NatureAir, Costa Rica and greentomatocars, UK

Best in a Mountain Environment was Explorandes, Peru – For developing homestay accommodation with real volume and livelihood activities, kayaking, textiles and culture, through a partnership with a group of 30 families at Llachon on the shore of Lake Titicaca.

*Highly commended: Peregrine Adventures, Australia and Shakti Uttaranchal Tours Pvt Ltd, India

Best in a Marine Environment was blue o two, UK – For developing a new business approach to diving in the Red Sea, in a highly competitive price-driven market demonstrating that responsible diving is possible for a mainstream business and establishing a way of doing business which is causing their competitors to become more responsible.

*Highly commended: Blue Ventures, UK

Best for Poverty Reduction was Borana, Kenya – For making a sustainable contribution to the alleviation of poverty through generating employment, improving school facilities, funding a mobile clinic which reaches thousands of people and for innovative initiatives like “Hide and Sheep” which adds value to local products for the benefit of the economically poor.

*Highly commended: Guludo Beach Lodge, Mozambique and communitychallenge, UK

Best in a Park or Protected Area was La Ruta Moskitia, Honduras – For working with four different indigenous communities to create a series of experiences and products which are complementary to each other, avoiding the danger of competition between villages and creating 150 jobs in and around the Rio Plátano Biosphere Reserve in Central America.

*Highly commended: Chalalan Ecolodge, Bolivia

Best for Conservation of an Endangered Species was Grootbos Nature Reserve, South Africa – For conserving 1750 acres of the Cape’s threatened fynbos by using five hectares for tourism development and for working to engage local communities through football, employment and micro-enterprise opportunities.

*Highly commended: Earth, Sea & Sky/Ionian Eco Villagers/Nature World Travel, Greece and Biosphere Expeditions, UK

Best for Conservation of Cultural Heritage was Andaman Discoveries, Thailand – For putting people first – recognising that the best custodians of cultural heritage are the people. They have worked with communities to empower them and to create a sense of place, identifying what villagers see as important, and using this information to develop tourist activities and make productive relationships with the industry.

Best Volunteering Organisation was Azafady, UK/Madagascar – For demonstrating real achievements meeting the locally defined needs of communities in Madagascar and for producing detailed reports on impacts and being transparent about where the volunteers’ money goes.

*Highly commended: Quest, Camps International and people and places

Justin Francis, co-founder and managing director, responsibletravel.com said: “This is the fourth year of the Awards and every year, it never ceases to amaze me how much thought and innovation has gone into the holidays that we short list.

“Not only do such ventures offer sensational experiences for travellers, but they aspire to such impressive standards on responsible tourism that just keep getting better every year. I hope the Awards prove an inspiration for many more tourism organisations throughout the world.”

Virgin Holidays managing director Amanda Wills said: “We are passionate about responsible tourism and proud to be associated with awards that provide recognition to those individuals and businesses whose success in pioneering social and environmental responsibility, acts as inspiration to others.”

by Phil Davies