Virgin Holidays @RTAwards Winners 2011

Posted by Debbie Hindle on 10 November 2011 | 0 Comments

I love the Wednesday of World Travel Market. It's a day focused on sustainable travel, but it's also the moment when the winners of the Virgin Holidays' Responsible Tourism Awards run by responsibletravel.com are announced. I'm one of several judges who agonise over the shortlisted finalists every year. Then, each year at the award ceremony, we're moved by meeting the people who have worked so tirelessly for change.

This year was no exception. These are the 2011 winners:

Best tour operator for local experiences,   Winner: Sockmob Events/Unseen Tours, London, UK  About the winners: "The Judges were excited by the promise of this relatively young tour operator to provide a model for responsible tourism in cities. Organised by the Sock Mob volunteer network, 'Unseen Tours' take a unique view of London by organising tours run by trained homeless guides, offering an unexplored view of the big city. Incorporating history with personal perspective, the tours give voice to those usually silent in tourism; create job opportunities, and an unforgettable experience."  Contact details: www.sockmobevents.org.uk , Dr Lidija Mavra, Director, lidija@sockmobevents.org.uk

 Best accommodation for the environment, Winner: Battlesteads Hotel & Restaurant, UK About the winners: "Originally an 18th century farmhouse, this net zero carbon neutral, three-star hotel impressed the judges with its range of initiatives and achievements in the last six years. To name just a few: a biomass boiler supplied by a sustainable forestry, and solar thermal panels providing all heating and hot water, charging points for electrical vehicles, and enough rainwater collection to supply water for 2 acres of land, including the two polytunnels used to grow their own food!"     Highly commended: Campi Ya Kanzi, Kenya, www.maasai.com; Kasbah du Toubkal, Morocco, www.kasbahdutoubkal.com   Contact details: Battlesteads Hotel & Restaurant, www.battlesteads.com, Richard Slade, Director, info@battlesteads.com 

Best accommodation for local communities,   Winner: Fauzi Azar Inn, Israel  About the winners: "This 200 year old Arab mansion-turned guest house is the vision of Maoz Inon. Set in the old town of Nazareth, the largest Arab city in Israel, the opening of the Inn has helped to facilitate interaction between tourists and locals - part of Maoz' goal to transform a neglected area through tourism and promote communication across boundaries of race and religion in the Middle East. The Inn has designed, produced and distributed 50,000 maps of Nazareth to enable exploration of the old town, and organises a free tour experienced by 2,500 people per year."     Highly commended: Semadep Safari Camp, Kenya, www.semadepcamp.com  Contact details: Fauzi Azar Inn, www.fauziazarinn.com , Maoz Inon, Founder and Owner, info@fauziazarinn.com

Best low carbon initiative Winner: Eurostar International Limited, UK  About the winners: "No stranger to the Awards, Eurostar impressed the judges this year by refusing to sit on their laurels, instead finding new ways to save energy and encourage their passengers to do the same. Since 2007 they have reduced their waste to landfill by 40%, and in 2009 started working with 'Worn Again' to upcycle old uniforms into new saleable products. 15% of each supplier tender is scored towards the company's environmental behavior, and the new phase of their 'Tread Lightly' campaign aims to reduce supporting business CO2 emissions by 25% by 2015.  They have even launched the "Eurostar Ashden Award for Sustainable Travel" to encourage further innovation in sustainability."   Highly commended: Intrepid Travel, UK, www.intrepidtravel.com    Contact details: Eurostar International Limited, www.eurostar.com , Luke Ervine, Environment Manager luke.ervine@eurostar.com

Best in a mountain environment  Winner: Himalayan Holidays (Pvt), Pakistan About the winners: "The Judges were full of praise for this responsible tour operator committed to providing low volume, low impact trekking holidays in what is a highly controversial tourism destination. In the face of incredible odds Himalayan Holidays' 'Vacations for All' programme in the Kaghan and Astore Valleys  provides tented accommodation that secures employment for local people, and the Khanpur water-based sports programme benefitting over 80 families with income."    Highly commended: Mountain Lodges of Peru, Peru, www.mountainlodgesofperu.com ; Whistler Blackcomb, Canada, www.whistlerblackcomb.com     Contact details: Himalayan Holidays (Pvt),  www.himalayanholidays.pk, Najeeb Ahmed Khan, Owner CEO, najeeb@himalayanholidays.pk

Best in a marine environment  Winner: Peninsula Citizens for Sustainable Development, Belize About the winners: "The Judges were impressed by this organisation's campaign for locally owned tourism development in the face of planned cruise tourism in the Placencia Peninsula of Belize. After uniting the community to preserve the authenticity of the Peninsula, they have continued to promote collaboration between local tourism organisations and the village council to proactively develop sustainable tourism. "    Highly commended: Coral Cay Conservation, Cambodia, www.coralcay.org ; Maple Leaf Adventures, Canada,  www.mapleleafadventures.com    Contact details: Peninsula Citizens for Sustainable Development, www.pcsdbelize.org,  Mary Toy, co-chair, info@pcsdbelize.org 

Best responsible cruise or ferry operator Winner: DFDS Seaways, UK About the winners: "DFDS Seaways is one of Europe's largest ferry companies, and has gone a long way towards marine conservation. Teaming up with ORCA to discover a wealth of whales, dolphins and wildlife on their routes, they now host an onboard 'wildlife centre' offering fun activities for passengers, employ onboard wildlife officers, and work with the School of Whales on a range of mini wildlife-watching cruises."    Highly commended: Ullswater Steamers, UK, www.ullswater-steamers.co.uk    Contact details: DFDS Seaways, www.dfdsseaways.co.uk , Stephen House, Head of Product, stephen.house@dfds.co.uk  

Best for poverty reduction,  Winner: Robin Pope Safaris, Malawi and Zambia  About the winners: "This year the Judges wanted to Award two joint overall winners to recognise both long term excellence, and bold innovative new ideas. Robin Pope Safaris' 20 year record of remarkable work with local communities in Zambia is a standard for tourism organisations to aspire to.  At the same time, Sock Mob Events/Unseen Tours offers a glimpse of new perspectives for the future. The Judges feel the combination of proven and new, Africa and London; demonstrate the breadth of achievement in responsible tourism."   Highly commended: Feynan Ecolodge, Jordan, www.feynan.com    Contact details: Robin Pope Safaris, www.robinpopesafaris.net , Ton de Roy, Managing Director, ton@robinpopesafaris.net

Best for conservation of wildlife & habitats,  Winner: Lilongwe Wildlife Centre, Malawi About the winners: "Lilongwe Wildlife Centre is a wildlife rescue, conservation and education centre in the heart of Malawi's capital city. Fending off developers, the centre has reclaimed and revived 90 hectares of urban wilderness to provide sanctuary for rescued, orphaned and injured wild animals, and promotes conservation to locals and tourists alike. It now takes over 20,000 visitors per year, showing its value as a centre for both the people and wildlife of Malawi."   Highly commended: Great Ocean Ecolodge, Australia, www.greatoceanecolodge.com ; Africat Okonjima, Namibia, www.okonjima.com Contact details: Lilongwe Wildlife Centre, www.lilongwewildlife.org , Kate Moore, Marketing Manager, marketing@llwc.org

Best contribution to conserving cultural heritage, sponsored by Oman Ministry of Tourism  Winner: Agri Tourism Development Corporation, India About the winners: The Agri Tourism Development Corporation organise tourism experiences on working farms in India. By providing holiday experiences based on local agricultural traditions, this initiative is creating job opportunities for local farmers, allowing them to diversify their livelihoods whilst preserving their way of life. The judges were impressed by the replicability of the idea, and how this primarily domestic tourism experience was helping to bring Indian tourists back into rural communities."    Highly commended: Nutti Sami Siida, Sweden, www.nutti.se    Contact details: Agri Tourism Development Corporation, www.agritourism.in, Pandurang Taware, President & Managing Director, pandurang@agritourism.in

Best volunteering organisation,  Winner: Global Vision International, UK  About the winners: "Global Vision International impressed the judges with the scale of their impacts on the ground. Placing 3,500 volunteers each year in 60 countries, GVI teaches over 10,000 people each year in six continents. And for GVI the proof of their work is in the performance of their students - in Guatamala their students were in the top 5% nationally examined in 2011 - proving that well-placed skilled volunteers can have genuine impacts. Their charitable trust already estimates £400,000 will be raised for their partners this year alone."   Highly commended: Tiny Island Volunteers, Maldives, www.tinyislandvolunteers.com    Contact details: Global Vision International, www.gvi.co.uk, Andy Woods-Ballard, Director of Business Development, andy@gviworld.com 

Best destination Winner: Destination Røros, Norway About the winners: "This former mining-town in Norway may have been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980, but it's been preserving traditions as a tourist destination for over 85 years. Attracting over one million visitors each year, the town of just 3700 inhabitants maintains its sense of place through a 'local knowledge' programme run for over 90 businesses, local food safaris and much more."      Highly commended: Forest of Bowland, UK, www.forestofbowland.com    Contact details: Destination Røros, www.roros.no, Hilde Bergebakken, General Manager & Project leader Sustainable Tourism, Hilde.bergebakken@rorosinfo.com

Best in responsible tourism writing, sponsored by Trinidad and Tobago Tourist Board  Winner: Tourism must tap into the water issue, by Catherine Mack About the winners: "Originally appearing as part of her 'Ethical traveller' column in the Irish Times, Catherine Mack's thought-provoking piece impressed the judges for bringing attention to the issue of water consumption for travellers. Something of a rarity in travel journalism, the piece is praised for offering an honest view of an overlooked and yet considerable tourism issue, highlighting it clearly to the travelling mainstream."   Highly commended: Sicily's First Eco Village Blooms, by Gail Virginia Simmons, www.travelscribe.co.uk ; Telling the stories of their land/World's Oldest Tour Guides, by Nick Haslam, www.nickhaslam.co.uk/    Contact details: Catherine Mack, www.ethicaltraveller.co.uk, Catherine@ethicaltraveller.co.uk  

For more on all the Winners and Highly Commended organisations, visit: www.responsibletourismawards.com   

The best of the best - joint overall winner was awarded to Robin Pope Safaris and Sockmob Tours

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