Responsible Tourism Awards partners and sponsors
The Responsible Tourism Awards are organised by founder responsibletravel.com, with support from media partners Metro Newspaper, Geographical Magazine (the magazine of the Royal Geographical Society), and World Travel Market, where the Awards are given out. The judging process is designed and organised in partnership with the International Centre for Responsible Tourism at Leeds Metropolitan University, and Virgin Holidays have supported the Awards as headline sponsor since 2007.
We are delighted to introduce our Headline Sponsor, Virgin Holidays, who have supported the Awards for the last 5 years.
A word from Amanda Wills, Managing Director of Virgin Holidays, headline sponsors of the Responsible Tourism Awards:
"There has never been a more important time for the efforts of those involved in responsible travel to be celebrated. These continue to be tough times for the travel industry, but it is all too easy to let profit take priority and relapse to the kind of damaging practices that have historically caused such problems for communities that are dependent on tourism. At Virgin Holidays, we believe that business success and sustainability are not mutually exclusive and our continued involvement in this fantastic awards programme demonstrates our continued commitment to the people and places we work with. We call it our Human Nature Promise, and it is one we plan to keep.
We’re delighted to be sponsoring the Responsible Tourism Awards for the fifth year running and I can’t wait to hear about the inspiring stories behind the 2011 nominations."
Read more about Virgin Holidays' commitment to responsible tourism
responsibletravel.com
Justin Francis, Managing Director, responsibletravel.com
“The Responsible Tourism Awards is now the largest and most prestigious Awards scheme of its kind in the world. More and more destinations, travel ventures (both large and small), tourist boards and travellers around the globe, are signing up to the concept of responsible tourism. Not only is it a more enjoyable and authentic way to travel but it is also the only way forward if travel is to have a sustainable future. Our Awards aim to recognise and encourage the passionate pioneers who are helping to bring about real, positive and lasting change in the tourism industry.”
World Travel Market
Fiona Jeffery is Chairman of World Travel Market, the premier event for the global travel industry, hosting the Responsible Tourism Awards, which take place in November. Fiona said the awards, now in their eighth year, are a momentous day for the global travel and tourism industry.
"The Responsible Tourism Awards are at the heart of WTM's World Responsible Tourism Day, which is now in its third year and are supported by the leading travel associations worldwide. It's a signal that the international industry is undergoing a huge step change, with recognition that action across the whole spectrum of tourism, can and is making a real difference to the world in which we live.
This follows a much bigger and growing change in people's thinking and social conscience; that choosing a holiday is not just about the size of the swimming pool or the charm of the locality, but also about how their presence may impact on the local community, as well as the planet, be it positively or negatively.
There are many excellent examples of work being carried out by some travel companies, as demonstrated by last year's award winners. But there is still so much more to be done and WTM World Responsible Tourism Day is at the forefront of this development, helping to inspire, educate and challenge those who are sadly only paying lip service to the need for responsible tourism."
The Metro
Lisa Scott, Travel Editor, Metro Newspaper
The Metro became official media partner of the Responsible Tourism Awards in 2010, helping to bring the Awards to a new audience of responsible travellers. With a readership of 3.3 million readers in 18 urban areas across the UK, the Metro is the UK's leading free newspaper and is helping to celebrate responsible tourism in the mainstream. Lisa Scott, the Metro's Travel Editor, is also a part of the Responsible Tourism Awards judging panel.
Geographical Magazine
Graeme Gourlay, Publisher, Geographical magazine
"Geographical sees the Awards as a cornerstone of its coverage of travel and tourism. Our readers take a critical and intelligent interest in the issues surrounding modern tourism and we feel the awards reflect their core values.
The very exciting and continuing growth in the Awards shows how important and relevant these issues have become - it is impossible to discuss travel and tourism without taking this into consideration."
International Centre for Responsible Tourism
The judging panel is chaired by Professor Harold Goodwin, Director of Research & International Partnerships at the International Centre for Responsible Tourism based at Leeds Metropolitan University. Harold has chaired the judges since the inception of the Awards. The idea for the Responsible Tourism Awards emerged from discussions amongst the students on the Masters course when it was at Greenwich. Masters students, associates and staff of the International Centre for Responsible Tourism each year undertake the onerous work of sifting through the nominations to determine the shorter lists of nominees, a process supervised by Harold Goodwin as chair of the panel of judges.
Harold is passionate about the awards: “the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards never fail to surprise, each year the travelling public who make nominations draw our attention to example of businesses taking responsibility for sustainability and making a real difference.” It is much harder each year to win an Award and the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards have contributed to sharing and encouraging better practices in Responsible Tourism.
Harold adds “the ICRT is proud to be associated with the Awards.”
Our Sponsor
We are delighted to introduce our Headline Sponsor, Virgin Holidays, who have supported the Awards for the last 5 years.
A word from Amanda Wills, Managing Director of Virgin Holidays, headline sponsors of the Responsible Tourism Awards:
"There has never been a more important time for the efforts of those involved in responsible travel to be celebrated. These continue to be tough times for the travel industry, but it is all too easy to let profit take priority and relapse to the kind of damaging practices that have historically caused such problems for communities that are dependent on tourism. At Virgin Holidays, we believe that business success and sustainability are not mutually exclusive and our continued involvement in this fantastic awards programme demonstrates our continued commitment to the people and places we work with. We call it our Human Nature Promise, and it is one we plan to keep.
We’re delighted to be sponsoring the Responsible Tourism Awards for the fifth year running and I can’t wait to hear about the inspiring stories behind the 2011 nominations."
Read more about Virgin Holidays' commitment to responsible tourism
Our Partners
responsibletravel.com
Justin Francis, Managing Director, responsibletravel.com “The Responsible Tourism Awards is now the largest and most prestigious Awards scheme of its kind in the world. More and more destinations, travel ventures (both large and small), tourist boards and travellers around the globe, are signing up to the concept of responsible tourism. Not only is it a more enjoyable and authentic way to travel but it is also the only way forward if travel is to have a sustainable future. Our Awards aim to recognise and encourage the passionate pioneers who are helping to bring about real, positive and lasting change in the tourism industry.”
World Travel Market
Fiona Jeffery is Chairman of World Travel Market, the premier event for the global travel industry, hosting the Responsible Tourism Awards, which take place in November. Fiona said the awards, now in their eighth year, are a momentous day for the global travel and tourism industry. "The Responsible Tourism Awards are at the heart of WTM's World Responsible Tourism Day, which is now in its third year and are supported by the leading travel associations worldwide. It's a signal that the international industry is undergoing a huge step change, with recognition that action across the whole spectrum of tourism, can and is making a real difference to the world in which we live.
This follows a much bigger and growing change in people's thinking and social conscience; that choosing a holiday is not just about the size of the swimming pool or the charm of the locality, but also about how their presence may impact on the local community, as well as the planet, be it positively or negatively.
There are many excellent examples of work being carried out by some travel companies, as demonstrated by last year's award winners. But there is still so much more to be done and WTM World Responsible Tourism Day is at the forefront of this development, helping to inspire, educate and challenge those who are sadly only paying lip service to the need for responsible tourism."
The Metro
Lisa Scott, Travel Editor, Metro Newspaper
The Metro became official media partner of the Responsible Tourism Awards in 2010, helping to bring the Awards to a new audience of responsible travellers. With a readership of 3.3 million readers in 18 urban areas across the UK, the Metro is the UK's leading free newspaper and is helping to celebrate responsible tourism in the mainstream. Lisa Scott, the Metro's Travel Editor, is also a part of the Responsible Tourism Awards judging panel.
Geographical Magazine
Graeme Gourlay, Publisher, Geographical magazine "Geographical sees the Awards as a cornerstone of its coverage of travel and tourism. Our readers take a critical and intelligent interest in the issues surrounding modern tourism and we feel the awards reflect their core values.
The very exciting and continuing growth in the Awards shows how important and relevant these issues have become - it is impossible to discuss travel and tourism without taking this into consideration."
International Centre for Responsible Tourism
The judging panel is chaired by Professor Harold Goodwin, Director of Research & International Partnerships at the International Centre for Responsible Tourism based at Leeds Metropolitan University. Harold has chaired the judges since the inception of the Awards. The idea for the Responsible Tourism Awards emerged from discussions amongst the students on the Masters course when it was at Greenwich. Masters students, associates and staff of the International Centre for Responsible Tourism each year undertake the onerous work of sifting through the nominations to determine the shorter lists of nominees, a process supervised by Harold Goodwin as chair of the panel of judges. Harold is passionate about the awards: “the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards never fail to surprise, each year the travelling public who make nominations draw our attention to example of businesses taking responsibility for sustainability and making a real difference.” It is much harder each year to win an Award and the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards have contributed to sharing and encouraging better practices in Responsible Tourism.
Harold adds “the ICRT is proud to be associated with the Awards.”
Last year's winners
