Guangzhou, China: On this World Tourism Day 2011, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) is inviting tourism businesses and destinations worldwide to apply for the 2011 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards. Applicants may enter in one of four categories: Global Tourism Business, Conservation, Community Benefit and Destination Stewardship, showcasing best practice in sustainable tourism. Applications may be submitted online on www.tourismfortomorrow.com/Apply/. The deadline for applications is 10 December 2010.

The launch of the Tourism for Tomorrow Call for Entries on World Tourism Day is significant since a panel of leading tourism and biodiversity experts are meeting in China to explore synergies between tourism, biodiversity and sustainable development along the theme ‘Tourism and Biodiversity’, in support of the United Nations International Year of Biodiversity. This event highlights the importance of sustainable tourism which is reflected in all four WTTC Tourism for Tomorrow Awards' categories.

>> For the full press release click here.
 

Amongst the numerous tourism, environmental and sustainability awards that exist around the globe, the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards hold enormous prestige and credibility. 
 

As a finalist judge for Tourism for Tomorrow since 2005 I participate in the selection and the verification inspection of finalists across the four categories of awards. Undertaking this role is a great privilege and we observe amazing innovation, dedication and persistence from operators around the globe – large and small. I am extremely impressed by the credibility of the judging process adopted by WTTC in running the Awards. In the first instant all judges independently assess the nominations. The finalist judges then meet to select the finalists. This process involves significant discussion and debate and sometimes numerous meetings.

Finalists are then visited by a Finalist Judge where meetings and inspections are carried out on site. A detailed report is then written. It is important to note that this report does not make recommendations on the placing of the finalist – just facts and observations. An independent set of Judges receives the verification reports and decide the winners. These independent steps for judging Tourism for Tomorrow Awards add significant credibility and rigour to the process.

Finalists can be extremely proud to have reached such high levels of achievement. Winners should be ecstatic as these awards are truly the pinnacle of achievement.

Tony Charters
Principal, Tony Charters & Associates

Between 4-7 October, 600 delegates will gather in Aviemore, Scotland, for the 2010 Adventure Travel World Summit . Despite the power of the Web to connect, the reality is that top leaders are still meeting face to face to get business conducted, build real relationships and take time to learn the best information possible to run their businesses. This year's Summit has attracted record numbers of nations, journalists, marketplace representatives and sponsor support. In addition to networking, marketplace, adventures and entertainment, delegates gain access to research, trends and strategic and tactical tool sets delivered by seasoned veterans for such topics as marketing, search engine optimisation (SEO), social media, customer relationship management, sustainable tourism and more.

At the ATTA's Summit, leaders collaborate and work to influence the manner in which adventure travel is introduced, executed and sustained in any given destination worldwide, and to adopt sustainability and best practices that give back to the people and places impacted by adventure travel. At next week's Summit, the ATTA will announce the dates and location for the 2011 Adventure Travel World Summit so that interested leaders may save the dates in next year's diaries.
 

World Travel Market (WTM), the premier global event for the travel industry, is the must-attend four-day business-to-business exhibition for the worldwide travel and tourism industry.

WTM 2010 is poised to be the biggest-ever due to the £165 expansion of host venue ExCeL, London. This expansion has allowed WTM to add a number of new additions and improvements to the event to help facilitate even more business deals than ever before.

WTM 2009 generated more than £1,139 million in travel industry business. WTM 2010 will see an expanded Meet The Meridian Club Buyers (Speed Networking) programme and both Meridian Club lounges will be on the exhibition floor. Furthermore, a new Sports Pavilion has been added to the exhibition floor to allow WTM participants to take advantage of one of the industry’s fastest growing sectors. Sports company exhibiting includes some of the world’s most prestigious venue; Lord’s, Wembley, Twickenham and Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Association. A new Business Day programme has also been added to the Thursday of the event with business guru and former CBI Director-General Digby Jones headlining.
 

Meet Tourism for Tomorrow Awards representatives and contributors at the following events:

• Adventure Travel World Summit, 4-7 October 2010, Aviemore, Scotland, UK, http://www.adventuretravel.biz/connect/summit/  
• Global Eco Conference, 25-28 October 2010, Noosa, Queensland, Australia, http://globaleco.com.au/
• World Travel Market, 8-11 November 2010, London, UK, http://www.wtmlondon.com/

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 group

We would like to thank our sponsor for their continued support. 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, 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, USA Today.