winners of the Responsible Tourism Awards 2007
Download r:travel, the responsible travel magazine featuring all the winners of our Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards 2007 Read interviews with our 2007 winners to find out how winning a Responsible Tourism Award has made a difference to them. overall winner: The New Forest
The judges were unanimous in their praise for The New Forest.
This is 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 (the VICE model: Visitor, Industry, Community, Environment) and to 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. Contact details: The New Forest. Anthony Climpson, New Forest Tourism Destination Manager, 023 8028 5464, anthony.climpson@nfdc.gov.uk Watch a video about overall winners, The New Forest: 
Best Tour Operator sponsored by The Adventure Company
Winner: Gecko's Adventures, Australia Chosen for maximising the positive economic and social impacts of their tours, through use of locally owned accommodation and employment of local tour leaders who share with travellers their passion for their country’s history, heritage, culture and natural beauty. Highly commended: Imaginative Traveller, UK, KE Adventure Travel, UK and Tribes Travel, UK Contact details: Gecko's Adventures. Jarrod Kyte, UK Manager, 01635 872 338, jarrod@PeregrineAdventures.co.uk Imaginative Traveller. Hiedi Hutchinson, Marketing Manager, 01473 636 066 EXT 241, hiedi@imtrav.net KE Adventure Travel. Tim Greening, 017687 73966, Tim@keadventure.co.uk Tribes Travel. Amanda Marks, 01728 685971, amanda@tribes.co.uk 
Best Large Hotel / Accommodation
(more than 50 rooms) sponsored by Hyatt Hotels & Resorts
Winner: Apex Hotels Ltd, UK For their efforts in urban regeneration, converting office blocks on brown field 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 Contact details: Apex Hotels Ltd. Jo Harbisher, Environmental Director, 0131 666 5121, jo.harbisher@apexhotels.co.uk Evason Phuket & Six Senses Spa. Ms. Chutikorn, marketing-phuket@evasonresorts.com, +66 (0) 76 381 010 ext. 1121 Radisson SAS Hotel, Edinburgh. Alexandra Hammond, 0131 473 6551, alexandra.hammond@radissonsas.com 
Best Small Hotel / Accommodation (less
than 50 rooms) sponsored by Tourism Queensland
Winner: 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 Contact details: Finca Esperanza Verde Ecolodge. Gifford Laube, Finca Esperanza Verde Manager, 00 505 772 5003, fevmanager@gmail.com Papillote Wilderness Retreat. Anne Jno Baptiste, Director, papillote@cwdom.dm, 00 767 448 2287 Lamai Homestay & Guesthouse. Ann Moore, 01970 871464, ann.moore@northfieldenterprises.co.uk 
Best Low Carbon Transport &
Technologysponsored by Virgin Trains Winner: Eurostar, UK 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 Contact details: Eurostar. Gareth Headon, Media Relations Manager, 0207 922 4425 gareth.headon@eurostar.co.uk NatureAir. Alexi Huntley K, Commercial Director, ahuntley@natureair.com, 00 506 299 6043 greentomatocars. Tom Pakenham, 020 8380 8900, tom@greentomatocars.com 
Best in a Mountain Environment
sponsored by Blacks Winner: Explorandes, Peru For developing homestay accommodation with real volume and livelihood activities, kayaking, textiles and culture, through a partnership with a group of thirty families at Llachon on the shore of Lake Titicaca. Highly commended: Peregrine Adventures and Shakti Uttaranchal Tours Pvt Ltd, India Contact details: Explorandes. Miguel Vegas van Oordt, Marketing Manager, +51 1 445 0532 miguel@explorandes.com Peregrine Adventures. Jarrod Kyte, 01635 872 338, jarrod@PeregrineAdventures.co.uk Shakti Uttaranchal Tours Pvt Ltd. Gemma Hyde, Sales Manager, 0091 11 4173 4788, gemma@shaktihimalaya.com 
Best in a Marine Environment sponsored
by Tourism Tasmania Winner: blue o two 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 Contact details: blue o two. Miss. Natalie Elliott, Sales & Operations Director, 01752 480808, Natalie@blueotwo.com Blue Ventures. Richard Nimmo, Managing Director, richard@blueventures.org, 0208 341 9819 
Best for Poverty Reduction sponsored by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Check Out for Children Winner: 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 Contact details: Borana. Liz Bean, ebean@bush-and-beyond.com Guludo Beach Lodge. Jayne Alexander, MD, jayne@dovetail-agency.co.uk, 07885 931 944 communitychallenge. Mel Cutcliffe, Indigo PR, mcutcliffe@indigoprco.com, 020 7259 1147 
Best in a Park or Protected Area
sponsored by Conservation International Winner: 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 Contact details: La Ruta Moskitia. Elmor Wood, Manager, info@larutamoskitia.com, +504 443 1276 (office) Chalalan Ecolodge. Ciro Alex Villca Limaco, (591) 712 82697 (mob), alexvillca@gmail.com or info@chalalan.com 
Best for Conservation of an Endangered
Species sponsored by Sri Lanka Tourism Winner: Grootbos Nature Reserve, South Africa For conserving 1750 acres of the Cape's threatened fynbos by using 5 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 Contact details: Grootbos Nature Reserve. Florentina Heger, Marketing manager, 0027 283848000, florentina@grootbos.co.za Earth, Sea & Sky - Ionian Eco Villagers - Nature World Travel. Yannis Vardakastanis, yannis@natureworldtravel.com, 0030 697985 4308 (mob) Biosphere Expeditions. Kathy Wilden, Director, 07941 289925, k.wilden@biosphere-expeditions.org 
Best for Conservation
of Cultural Heritage sponsored by Jamaica Tourist Board Winner: 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. Highly commended: Go Native America, USA and Intrepid Travel, Australia Contact details: Andaman Discoveries. Kelly May, Managing Director, 66 (0) 81 243 3848, info@andamandiscoveries.com Go Native America. Sarah Chapman, 020 8144 4428, 001 888 800 1876 (US), gonative@nemontel.net Intrepid Travel. Daniel Pawlyn, Sales & Marketing Manager, UK Europe, 01373 828303 ext 311; Lucinda Lacon, Indigo PR, 020 7259 1143, llacon@indigoprco.com 
Best Volunteering Organisation
sponsored by Lonely Planet Winner: 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 Contact details: Azafady. Mark Jacobs, Managing Director, 020 8960 6629, mark@azafady.org Quest. Rachael Dines, Marketing Manager, 01444 474744, rachael.dines@experiencequest.com Camps International. Stuart Rees Jones, Managing Director, stuart@campsinternational.com, 07971 050036 (mob) people and places. Sallie Grayson, sallie@travel-peopleandplaces.co.uk & salliegrayson@yahoo.co.uk, 01795 535718, 07956 008950 (mob) 
Best Destination sponsored by
G.A.P Adventures
Winner: 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 Contact details: The New Forest. Anthony Climpson, OBE, New Forest Tourism Destination Manager, 023 8028 5464, anthony.climpson@nfdc.gov.uk Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka. Charmarie Maelge, Founder Director/CEO Responsible Tourism Partnership Sri Lanka, rtpcmaelge@sltnet.lk, 94 112 7732 51088 Costa Rica. Ms. Gina Guillen, (506) 299-5831 or 299-5832, giggrillo@hotmail.com or Sylvia Ugalde, costarica@btconnect.com 
Person who has made the greatest
contribution to responsible tourism sponsored by Canadian Tourism
Commission Winner: Anthony Climpson, The New Forest For twenty 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 Contact details: The New Forest. Anthony Climpson, OBE, New Forest Tourism Destination Manager, 023 8028 5464, anthony.climpson@nfdc.gov.uk Dr Cheryl Mvula, Tribal Voice Communications Ltd. cdmvula@aol.com, 01795 537113, 07919 553000 Charlotte Shigwedha, Mondesa Township Tours. 00 264 64 461220, 00264 81 273 4361 (mob), info@mondesatownshiptours.com or township@mweb.com |
|
|
further information
Read about the First
Choice Responsible Tourism Awards 2006 winners or download the 2006 Awards brochure See the First Choice Responsible Tourism Awards 2005 winners or download the 2005 Awards brochure See Responsible Tourism Awards 2004 winners About the Awards and judging process Press: For press releases and the latest information contact Krissy Pentland: press@responsibletravel.com |
|
