• TravelBizNews > News > Personality / Awards > WTTC announces 2015 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards winners

    WTTC announces 2015 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards winners

    April 21, 2015
    Personality / Awards
    WTTC announces 2015 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards winners

    Madrid :The world’s best examples of sustainable tourism businesses and destinations have been recognised at the annual World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Tourism for Tomorrow Awards Ceremony in Madrid, Spain.

    The Awards, which are held as part of the WTTC 15th Global Summit showcase and celebrate sustainable tourism businesses and destinations around the world. The winners in the five categories are:

    Community Award: Reality Tours & Travel, India
    Destination Award: Ljubljana, Slovenia
    Environment Award: Soneva Group, Maldives & Thailand
    Innovation Award: TripAdvisor GreenLeaders, USA
    People Award: Confortel Hoteles, Spain

    Each year, more than 20 international experts from around the world, representing the private sector, academic institutions, non-profit organisations, and governments, come together as independent judges to select the finalists and winners. The judging process, where independent experts visit each of the 15 finalists, is the most rigorous of any awards process in the Travel & Tourism industry.

    David Scowsill, President & CEO, WTTC, says: “The WTTC Tourism for Tomorrow Awards celebrate the very best examples of sustainable tourism businesses and destinations around the world. The Awards have been an established part of our industry for over 20 years, recognised as a way of sharing best practice in ways that everyone in our industry can understand; and to make a real difference to businesses wherever they operate in the world. This year’s winners come from across the world and throughout our industry, but each one demonstrates a commitment to running their business to the benefit of their people, their shareholders and the environments they operate in.”

    Fiona Jeffery, Chair of the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards, said: “I would like to thank our team of international judges lead by Professor Graham Miller in assisting with the final selection, each one shines a light on examples of outstanding business practise. They demonstrate and invest in a type and level of business leadership that isn’t exclusively about meeting the frequent demands and pressures for short term results. Rather it requires a sustained, studied and committed process involving employees, partners and beneficiaries which aims to protect the environment now and for future generations but at the same time creates positive tourism experiences for others to share; fulfilling the spirit of our industry.”

    The 2015 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards winners

    Community Category: Reality Tours & Travel, India
    In Mumbai’s Dharvi slum, Reality Tours & Travel is showing the world that slum tourism can be a good thing. The company is reaching the poorest in the community and offering them the opportunities that tourism can bring. Reality Tours & Travel is careful to show respect for the privacy and dignity of inhabitants through well-planned tours, and 80% of profits go to development projects in the slum. This includes a community centre, computer and English classes for 400 students, English language support for 900 pupils, evening computer classes for 450 youths, a girl’s football programme, a cricket academy and a pioneering scheme where women can turn old saris into designer products. Their projects have broadened the opportunities of more than 2,500 local people since 2009

    Destination Category: Ljubljana, Slovenia
    Ljubljana, Slovenia’s capital city has been completely redesigned with sustainability in mind. Extensive pedestrian spaces, an ecological zone and state of the art under-street recycling systems have greatly improved the city. Central to Ljubljana’s success is the partnership between Tourism Ljubljana and the Municipality, engaging not only local businesses but also residents to input into and influence policy. This really is a shared vision for the destination which means that tourism growth has been central to Ljubljana’s development, reviving cultural activity, restaurants and the entertainment sector. Now tourism and city life are inextricably linked, with sustainability principles at the heart.

    Environment Category: Soneva Group, Thailand and Maldives
    Soneva Group, in its two properties in Thailand and the Maldives, is pioneering environmental sustainability. At the operational level, bottled water is banned, they have set up the Maldives’ largest solar installation and raised 5.5 million dollars for carbon mitigation projects through a climate levy on room revenue. But Soneva is also a global influencer. They have pioneered the development of their environmental profit and loss tool in order to measure & further reduce the environmental impact of their supply chain. Soneva’s leadership is actively driving global sustainability discussions.

    Innovation Category: TripAdvisor GreenLeaders, USA
    TripAdvisor’s GreenLeaders programme is using its massive influence and technological capabilities to bring sustainability awareness to millions of consumers across the world. The programme promotes green practices to Trip Advisor’s 280 million unique monthly users and is the first large scale green hotel programme to be truly accessible for all types of accommodation properties. It is free to use for all businesses and users can access a complete list of a property’s green practices, reviewing them and providing feedback. This impactful programme has the potential to mainstream sustainability amongst consumers and create a sea change in our industry.

    People Category: Confortel Hoteles, Spain

    Madrid-based Confortel Hotels truly has people at its heart. It is dedicated to providing employment and career opportunities for people with disabilities and is also leading the way in accessible tourism 10% of its staff have disabilities and work across all hotel operations, from floor supervision to senior management – in fact, at some hotels as many as 75% of employees have a disability. Confortel is ensuring career options in tourism for people who struggle to find opportunities elsewhere by providing a fully integrated service for people with disabilities – from hotel design and equipment to staff training available on site.

    Full list of winners and finalists:

    Community Award
    Winner – Reality Tours and Travel, India
    Finalist – Feynan Ecolodge, Jordan
    Finalist – Grootbos Nature Reserve, South Africa

    Destination Award
    Winner – Ljubljana, Slovenia
    Finalist – Northeast and Yilan Coast, Taiwan
    Finalist – Sozopol, Bulgaria

    Environment Award
    Winner – The Soneva Group, Maldives and Thailand
    Finalist – Laguna Lodge Eco-Resort & Nature Reserve, Guatemala
    Finalist – Rivers Fiji, Fiji

    Innovation Award
    Winner – TripAdvisor GreenLeaders, USA
    Finalist – ABTA Global Welfare Guidance for Animals in Tourism, UK
    Finalist – Red Sustainable Travel, Mexico

    People Award
    Winner – Confortel Hoteles, Spain
    Finalist – Global Travel and Tourism Partnership, USA
    Finalist – Mountain Shepherds Initiative, India

    – WTTC April 2015

    Other News

    • Connecting you with the world of travel and tourism

      Theme Park Expo Vietnam 2025

      Asia Pool & Spa Expo , May 10 – 12, 2025 , Guangzhou , China

      KAZAKHSTAN International Exhibition “Tourism & Travel” Almaty, Kazakhstan

      CHINA- Beyond your imagination

      China – Lunar New Year 2025 

      This Lunar New Year (LNY) is shaping up to be a festive season of exploration and connection as celebrating families and friends worldwide embrace the holiday spirit.

      This year marks the year of the Snake, a symbol of wisdom, intuition, and transformation — themes that reflect the everchanging travel landscape. While some choose to celebrate at home, others have taken the opportunity to create memories in destinations far and near. With travel back in full swing, Trip.com Group has unveiled its latest LNY trends for 2025, showcasing how travellers are prioritising longer stays, meaningful experiences and unconventional destinations this year.

      Data reveals strong year-on-year growth for cross-border travel, with travellers combining public holidays and annual leave to increase their length of stay.

      Notably, in the Chinese mainland, a key source of LNY travel, New Year’s Eve is officially recognised as a holiday in 2025. This allows travellers to take just two days of leave for an eleven-day holiday. Korean travellers need to take one day for a nine-day break, while Singaporeans can create a five-day holiday with a single day off. As such, extended stays are a hallmark of this year’s LNY. On average, Asia-Pacific travellers will stay up to 10% longer this festive period.

      Popular destinations frequented by travellers who celebrate LNY include Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and the Chinese mainland. -PRNewswire Jan. 20, 2025 /

      FITUR tourism exhibition

      opens as sector fully recovers

      The 2025 FITUR international tourism exhibition opened  in Madrid, showcasing a robust recovery in the global tourism sector. Over 9,000 companies from 156 countries are participating in the event, which marks the 45th edition of the exhibition. Running until Jan. 26, FITUR is hosting 153,000 industry professionals, highlighting its significance as a key gathering for the global travel industry.

      The United Nations Tourism (UN Tourism) announced Tuesday that 2024 saw international tourism fully recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, with 1.4 billion international travelers recorded. The organization forecasts further growth of 3-5 percent for 2025.

      Spain, a leading global tourism destination, recently reported a record-breaking 94 million visitors in 2024, underscoring the sector’s resilience and strength.

      Brazil takes center stage as the invited nation at this year’s FITUR. The exhibition also features 10 specialist areas, including cruises, sports tourism, film tourism, and language-learning tourism, reflecting the growing diversity of travel trends.

      The Asia-Pacific region has reached 87 percent of its pre-pandemic tourist numbers, according to the UN Tourism. China has a strong presence at FITUR, with companies such as Enjoy China, Fantastica China, The Chinese Office of Tourism in Spain, and Focus China showcasing their offerings over the coming days. – Xinhua ,Jan. 22 ,2025

      France holds off Spain

      as world’s tourist favourite

      Olympic host France retained its spot as the world’s top tourist destination in 2024 with 100 million visitors, holding off stiff competition from countries including Spain.

      As world tourism returned to pre-pandemic levels with 1.4 billion people taking a trip abroad, according to the UN, both France and Spain announced record visitor numbers.

      Spain said last week that a record 94 million foreign tourists flocked to the Iberian nation in 2024, a 10 percent increase from the previous year.

      France, which hosted the Olympic Games in July – September 2024, welcomed two more million visitors in 2024, an increase of two percent compared with 2023.

      But although France had more visitors, they spent less than those in Spain — 71 billion euros ($74-billion) compared with 126 billion euros in Spain.

      France’s takings from international tourists rose by a total of 12 percent year-on-year, driven largely by Belgian, English, German, Swiss and US citizens, the tourism ministry said in a statement.

      Despite the return of customers from Asia, the number of Chinese visitors to France remained 60 percent lower than before the pandemic.Thirty percent fewer Japanese visited the country than in 2019.

      Good snowfall in late 2024 meanwhile drove a rebound for the end-of-year holidays as snow sports lovers flocked to the French ski slopes.

      “The outlook for the first quarter of 2025 is very good, with visitor numbers on the rise,” the ministry statement added.- enca.com ,22 January 2025

      Nepal hikes Everest climbing fee

      KATHMANDU – Nepal has sharply increased Everest climbing permit fees and introduced a slew of measures aimed at controlling garbage pollution and preventing accidents on the planet’s tallest peak.

      Under the revised rules, every two climbers must hire a guide to climb any mountain over 8,000 metres, including Everest.Under the revised mountaineering regulations, the royalty fee for foreigners climbing Everest from the normal south route in the spring season (March-May) has been raised to $15,000 from the current $11,000 per person.

      The autumn season (September-November) climbing fee has increased from $5,500 to $7,500. At the same time, the permit cost per individual for the winter (December-February) and monsoon (June-August) seasons has risen from $2,750 to $3,750.The new rates will take effect on September 1, 2025.

      The last royalty fee revision was made on January 1, 2015, when the government switched from a group-based system to a uniform fee of $11,000 per climber for the spring season from the normal route.

      For Nepali climbers, the royalty fee for the normal route during the spring climbing season has doubled from Rs75,000 to Rs150,000.Climbing permits, previously valid for 75 days, will now be limited to 55 days. The reduced validity is aimed at streamlining climbing activities.

      As per the amended rules, from the upcoming spring season, Everest climbers will be required to bring their poop back to base camp for proper disposal. Climbers must carry biodegradable bags to collect waste in the upper reaches.

      Base camps typically have designated toilet tents with barrels to collect human waste during expeditions. However, in higher camps, only a few agencies provide similar facilities, while others rely on pits. Very few climbers use biodegradable bags to transport waste from the summit.

      The government has also hiked the insurance coverage for high-altitude workers.Insurance coverage for high-altitude guides has gone up to Rs2 million ($14,400) from Rs1.5 million ($10,800), and for base camp workers, it has been raised to Rs1.5 million ($10,800) from Rs800,000 ($5,760).

      According to the Himalayan Database, which records all expeditions and deaths in the Himalayas, more than 200 people died on the Nepal side of Everest between 1953, when Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa first scaled the peak, and 2022.

      Nearly 8,900 people have summited the world’s highest peak from Nepal’s side since 1953.- Kathmandu Post , January 22, 2025

      Bangkok named the world’s

      second-best city by Time Out

      The ranking, based on surveys of city dwellers worldwide, highlights culture, food, affordability and overall happiness as key factors in making a city truly great.

      Climbing from 24th place last year to an impressive second place, Bangkok is celebrated for its rich cultural heritage, dynamic food scene, and vibrant lifestyle.

      The city’s affordability is a major plus, with 84% of residents agreeing that dining out, grabbing a coffee, or catching a movie is accessible to all. Additionally, 86% of locals rated Bangkok’s food as “good” or “excellent”.

      One urban expert described Bangkok as “a city of contrasts”, where the scent of sizzling street food fills the air, Michelin-starred restaurants thrive, and the majestic Chao Phraya River flows past luxury hotels.

      The city’s temples such as Wat Arun and the Grand Palace stand as timeless cultural icons, while modern parks like Benjakitti Park provide much-needed green spaces.

      Beyond affordability, the city exudes happiness and warmth. The famous Thai hospitality, vibrant night markets, and world-class nightlife districts like Thonglor and Ekkamai offer endless excitement.

      Time Out has previously recognised Bangkok’s nightlife, listing it among the coolest neighbourhoods in the world. The growing BTS and MRT public transport networks have also made exploring the city more convenient than ever.

      Bangkok’s diverse culinary scene is another highlight, from the bustling Chatuchak Market to the legendary street food in Yaowarat (Chinatown).

      Whether it’s a bowl of boat noodles or an extravagant fine-dining experience, food is an undeniable part of Bangkok’s appeal.

      The No 1 city this year is Cape Town, South Africa, known for its breathtaking landscapes and cultural vibrancy. Following Bangkok in third place is New York City, while Melbourne, London and New Orleans round out the top six. Mexico City, Porto, Shanghai and Copenhagen complete the top 10.

      Thailand’s rising global status is further reflected in Chiang Mai, which secured the 28th spot, adding to the country’s reputation as a must-visit destination.

      With its blend of tradition and modernity, Bangkok is more than just a tourist hotspot – it’s a city where people genuinely love to live. Whether you’re exploring hidden street-food gems, temple-hopping, or dancing the night away, Bangkok remains a city of endless possibilities. -The Nation ,January 20, 2025

      FACTS —

      Tourism helps in:

      👉Reducing poverty

      👉Reducing Inequalities

      👉Promoting gender equality

      👉Fostering decent work and economic growth

      World Tourism Day 2021: ‘Tourism for Inclusive Growth’

      In 2019, Travel & Tourism’s direct, indirect and induced impact accounted for:
      -US$8.9 trillion contribution to the world’s GDP
      -10.3% of global GDP
      -330 million jobs, 1 in 10 jobs around the world
      -US$1.7 trillion visitor exports (6.8% of total exports,
      28.3% of global services exports)
      -US$948 billion capital investment (4.3% of total
      investment)

      Best Tourism Villages 2024

      ” Nihao ! China ” Silk Road Tourism