Responsible Travel Awards 2004

The Responsible Tourism Awards celebrate tourism organisations - wherever they are - that seek to benefit local people and be as eco-friendly as possible. We all love to visit stunning holiday destinations. Many of them have fragile environments, rich cultural heritage and local communities that are coming under increasing pressure from the growth of tourism.

The impact of tourism and travel on the natural environment is all too evident and FOC recognises and supports initiatives undertaken by tourism organisations which combat these effects and work to establish best practice. FOC is delighted to be involved with these Awards.

The Awards recognize companies and organisations in the travel industry that are making a significant commitment to 'responsible' tourism – that is, projects which make a positive contribution to conservation and the economies of local communities, while minimizing the negative impacts that tourism can have.

The Awards, in ten categories, are organized by online travel agent responsibletravel.com, in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine – the magazine of The Royal Geographical Society. Over 700 nominations – including one from Archbishop Desmond Tutu - were received from tourists who were asked to identify holidays and tourism organisations that provided an enjoyable and a responsible travel experience.

The winners of the first Responsible Tourism Awards were announced on Responsible Tourism Day at the 2005 World Travel Market.

Maryanne Mills of Naturetrek collects the FOC sponsored award with (L) Jonathan Hodrien (Director) and Justin Francis (MD of responsibletravel.com)

Commenting on the awards Justin Francis, CEO responsibletravel.com said "We are delighted that the awards form part of Responsible Tourism Day at World Travel Market this year as the event has trumpeted environmental and responsible tourism issues for the past ten years. What makes these awards different is that tourists have nominated tourism ventures that they felt provided outstanding holiday, that also benefited local people and the destination. Over 700 nominations were received including one from Archbishop Desmond Tutu!"

The Winners!

Joint Overall Winners
The Calabash Trust and Exodus

Calabash Trust and Tours – township tours in Port Elizabeth South Africa - are a shining example of how tourism can benefit the poor.

Exodus are an outstanding example of how responsible tourism can become part of a companies DNA and run like a thread through all the companies activities.

Best Tour Operator
Winner: Exodus Travel

This was an extremely competitive category, Exodus were chosen for their systematic approach to integrating responsible tourism throughout their entire business, including their supply chain, and thereby setting a model for other businesses to follow.

Highly Commended: Intrepid Travel and The Adventure Company.

Best Hotel
Winner: Casuarina Beach Club, Barbados

The winner was selected for its employment of disabled people, initiatives to benefit the poor and outstanding environmental performance.

Highly Commended: Hilton Hotels

Best Mode of Transport or Transport Initiative, sponsored by The Energy Saving Trust
Winner: Eurostar

Eurostar's high-speed rail service linking the UK and France has provided a lower emission alternative to flying for 59 million people over 10 years.

Best in a Mountain Environment
Winner: Kasbah du Toubkal

A mountain accommodation situated in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco, Kasbah de Toubkal has forged an extraordinary partnership between the Berber community and Discover Ltd, leading to the sensitive development of tourism and extensive benefits to the local community.

Highly Commended: Guerba World Travel

Best in a Marine Environment, sponsored by the Fiji Visitors Bureau
Winner: Chumbe Island Coral Park Ltd

Chumbe Island, near Zanzibar has funded a number of outstanding conservation and social programmes from tourism revenues.

Highly Commended: Blue Ventures

Best for Poverty Reduction, sponsored by Exodus
Winner: The Calabash Trust

The Calabash Trust provides township tours in Port Elizabeth, South Africa and has brought significant benefits to township communities through tourism.

Highly Commended: Makasutu Cultural Forest, Kahawa Shamba, and the Santa Lucia eco-lodge

Best in a Protected Area
Winner: The North Moors National Park Authority and their Developing Assets of Protected Areas scheme (DAPA).

DAPA was selected for its creation of an effective link between the rural economy and sustainable environmental park management.

Highly Commended : Operation Wallacea

Best for Conservation of Endangered Species, sponsored by Friends of Conservation
Winner: Naturetrek

A UK based tour operator, Nature Trek has made available nature based and wildlife tours to mainstream tourists and exhibits a consistent, diverse and measurable approach to conservation issues worldwide.

World Travel Market 2004, Responsible Tourism Awards: - Conservation of Endangered Species category - L To R: Jonathan Hodrien, Friends of Conservation, Michel Watson, Grootbos & Justin Francis, Responsibletravel.com

Highly Commended: Grootbos Private Nature Reserve

Best for Innovation, sponsored by Active Hotels
Winner: The Mihai Eminescu Trust

A village project based in Viscri, Transylvania, The Trust has turned a poor, remote village, deserted by young people, into a thriving cultural tourism attraction, without spoiling its traditional way of life and beautiful natural surroundings.

Highly Commended: Kahawa Shamba

The person who has contributed most significantly to responsible tourism, sponsored by Intrepid Travel

Winner: Adama Bah

Adama has worked for 20 years bringing together different stakeholder groups in the Gambia to work together to increase the benefits of tourism to local people and the environment.

Highly Commended: Tricia Barnett from Tourism Concern

Read Full Press Release here