The awards were launched to highlight best practices in tourism around the world and also serve the purpose of acquainting the world with this new concept that puts emphasis on the importance of the interaction of the physical, cultural and social environment the traveller's responsibility and the need for active community participation for Sustainability.
Skal International Sustainable Tourism Awards were launched to highlight best practices in tourism around the world and also serve the purpose of acquainting the world with this new concept that puts emphasis on the importance of the interaction of the physical, cultural and social environment the traveller’s responsibility and the need for active community participation for Sustainability.
The fourteenth annual Skal Sustainable Tourism Awards has taken place on Thursday 29 October 2015 during the Opening Ceremony of the 76th Skal World Congress held in Torremolinos, Spain.
The awards were launched to highlight best practices in tourism around the world and also serve the purpose of acquainting the world with this new concept that puts emphasis on the importance of the interaction of the physical, cultural and social environment the traveller’s responsibility and the need for active community participation for Sustainability.
A record number of 67 projects have competed in the eight categories available to win these prestigious awards:
- Tour Operators
- Urban Accommodation
- Rural Accommodation
- Transportation
- Countryside
- Marine
- Community and Government projects
- Major Tourist Attractions
The winners have officially been announced and congratulated on their results by the Przsident of Skal International, V. Salih Cene.
Skal International selects a panel of three distinguished experts in sustainability to evaluate the projects independently. The primary criteria for the evaluation are based on:
- Contribution to the conservation of nature
- Cultural heritage conservation
- Community involvement and benefits
- Educational features and benefits
- Business viability and economic growth
- Innovation and creativity
- Marketing value generation (brand enhancement)
- Health, safety and wellbeing of employees and guests
The initial awards were presented in 2002 following the United Nations declaration of 2002 as the Year of Ecotourism and the Mountains, to highlight and acknowledge best practices around the globe. The awards have been generously sponsored and supported by Skal’s partner Diversey Care since 2009.
For the fifth consecutive year, Diversey Care has presented the Skal Sustainable Tourism Awards by Diversey Care, in eightdifferent categories as well as the Skal Special Recognition Award by Diversey Care.
The ‘Skal Special Recognition Award by Diversey Care’ shares its aim with the “Skal Sustainable Tourism Awards’, and is designed to acknowledge sustainability projects which are new and innovative, and which transform the conventional understanding of sustainability. They do this by delivering more efficient output, bringing businesses closer to an ‘integrated bottom line’, in which business and environment, along with safety, risk management, and corporate responsibility, is managed effectively.
At Diversey Care, we aim to Re-imagine the industries we serve, in order to help create a world that feels, tastes and works better. For us, sustainability starts with our vision: “To create a better way for life”, an ethos which was strongly reflected in every one of this year’s award entries.
Stefan Phang, Regional Director of Sustainability & CSR at Diversey Care, attended the 76th Skal World Congress to share valuable information about disaster relief in the tourism industry. The Skal Special Recognition Award by Diversey Care was presented by Mareike Schaumburg, Sector Marketing Lead Hospitality Germany at Diversey Care to David Fisher, Vice President of Skal International, who accepted the award on behalf of the overall winner Chumbe Island Coral Park, Tanzania.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
