Tourism for Tomorrow: destination stewardship shortlist unveiled

A National Park in South Africa working with the local community to improve their livelihood while protecting natural heritage, an NGO committed to environmental conservation and the preservation of traditional English farming methods and culture, and a cooperation of Alpine villages working towards car-free holidays all have one thing in common:

They are the 2011 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards finalists for the Destination Stewardship category.

Entrants have successfully managed a sustainable tourism programme at the destination level, incorporating social, cultural, environmental, and economic benefits as well as multi-stakeholder engagement. The finalists are:
 

Alpine Pearls
The "Alpine Pearls" is a network of Alpine communities focussing on soft mobility in tourism and in collaboration with transnational partners, developing tourism best practices in its member communities. By the end of 2010, the network consisted of 24 Pearls, i.e. Alpine village communities stretching across six Alpine nations and thus making it the largest tourist cooperation in the Alps. With 10 million overnight stays within the Pearls, and an area which experiences severe traffic congestion due to holiday traffic, communities are eager to develop sustainable tourism with the focus on new traffic solutions which contribute to traffic relief.

See travelmole story about Alpine Pearls: www.travelmole.com/stories/1145380.php
 

iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority

The iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority was established in 2000 through the World Heritage Convention Act. iSimangaliso is situated in the province of KwaZulu-Natal and is South Africa’s first World Heritage Site. It boasts the largest protected area of recorded and potential Stone Age and Iron Age sites in South Africa and is located in one of the most deprived areas of the country. In response to the poor socio-economic conditions of the area, the Authority was given a specific mandate by national government to not only facilitate the protection and conservation of the natural World Heritage Site, but also to optimise sustainable poverty reduction and economic empowerment of communities living in and adjacent to the Park through tourism and related development.

Nurture Lakeland
Nurture Lakeland is a non-profit membership organisation located in the UK’s Lake District with the mission to inspire businesses and individuals to contribute to the conservation and enhancement of the area through sustainable tourism. It comprises of a strong stakeholder network including local businesses, regional tourism authorities and conservation NGOs. Nurture Lakeland’s most prominent scheme is a voluntary visitor payback scheme whereby guests to the Lake District area are offered the opportunity to donate when purchasing locally or at their accommodation provider.

See travelmole story on Nurture Lakeland: www.travelmole.com/stories/1145899.php

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, which holds LEED certification. The event takes place 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.

Valere Tjolle

Valere Tjolle is editor of the Sustainable Tourism Report Suite. Special Offer on Sustainable Tourism Marketing Guide CLICK HERE Special Offer on Sustainable Tourism Ministers Briefing CLICK HERE