LONDON: The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) is delighted to announce the 15 finalists for its 2019 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards. The 2019 finalists are organised into the following new categories: Climate Action, Investing in People, Destination Stewardship, Social Impact and Changemakers.
The Changemakers Award will put a special spotlight on fighting the illegal wildlife trade through tourism, an issue that is also a focus of WTTC with its Buenos Aires Declaration on Illegal Wildlife Trade launched last year.
The WTTC Tourism for Tomorrow Awards, now in their fifteenth year, showcase business practices of the highest standards that balance the needs of ‘people, planet and profits’ within the Travel & Tourism sector.
All 15 finalists illustrate a strong commitment to supporting change, transformation in business practices and consumer behaviour towards a more environmentally conscious sector.
Following a rigorous three-phase judging process, which includes an onsite evaluation, winners of the 2019 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards will be announced during the awards ceremony at the 19th WTTC Global Summit in Seville, Spain from 2 – 4 April 2019.
Gloria Guevara, President & CEO of WTTC, said, “This year’s Tourism for Tomorrow Awards shine the spotlight on those organisations which are leading the way in sustainable Travel & Tourism. They reflect WTTC’s Strategic Priorities of Climate Action, Destination Stewardship, Future of Work, and Social Responsibility. I am delighted that in this 15th anniversary year, we are particularly highlighting initiatives which are combatting the illegal wildlife trade, in line with the WTTC Buenos Aires Declaration which was launched in April 2018.
“As pioneers in the world of Travel & Tourism I applaud all these finalists on their business philosophies and encourage the wider sector to look to them as leading examples for the future of sustainable travel.”
Awards Lead Judge, Prof. Graham Miller, Executive Dean and Professor of Sustainability in Business, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Surrey said, “The shortlisted projects and businesses demonstrate community development, sustainable employment practices, female empowerment, innovative environmental technology and protection of land and marine wildlife as well as positively contributing to the broader Sustainable Development Goals. Their efforts in these areas are a beacon to the rest of the travel sector in signalling the way to a more sustainable world.”
