Best for conservation of wildlife and habitats
A group or initiative working for the conservation of wildlife and/or their local habitat, such as a national park or wildlife sanctuary.2011
Winner: Lilongwe Wildlife Centre, Malawi
"Lilongwe Wildlife Centre is a wildlife rescue, conservation and education centre in the heart of Malawi's capital city. Fending off developers, the centre has reclaimed and revived 90 hectares of urban wilderness to provide sanctuary for rescued, orphaned and injured wild animals, and promotes conservation to locals and tourists alike. It now takes over 20,000 visitors per year, showing its value as a centre for both the people and wildlife of Malawi."
Highly commended:
Africat Okonjima, Namibia
Great Ocean Ecolodge, Australia
Previous winners
2010
Winner: ZEALANDIA: The Karori Sanctuary Experience, New Zealand
With a 500 year vision, Zealandia immediately stood out as an ambitious conservation initiative which engages with tourism to secure local support. But when you're trying to return an area to a time before humans - over 80 million years ago - it is this vision that is required! This unique conservation project is already a safe haven for some of New Zealand's most endangered native species. The ecological restoration of this urban wildlife sanctuary is well underway and through the removal of invasive species has enabled the successful reintroduction of species.
Highly commended:
Steppes Discovery, UK www.steppesdiscovery.co.uk
2009
Winner: Great Plains Conservation, South Africa
For incorporating a range of innovative projects across five African countries. Their work in the Maasai Mara is particularly impressive, facilitating the creation of an 80,000 acre conservancy, and guaranteeing regular payment to the local communities for the use of their land for tourism purposes – regardless of the number of guests. On an unequivocal basis, they provide protected revenue for the indigenous peoples of the Mara, reducing the negative social and economic impacts of tourism.
Highly commended:
Chimpanzee Sanctuary & Wildlife Conservation Trust (CSWCT), Uganda
Way Out Experiences, Malaysia, Indonesia & Borneo
2008
Winner: Gamewatchers Safaris & Porini Camps, Kenya
For demonstrating that a high revenue, low impact tourism development approach can benefit the local Maasai, enabling them through developing conservancies and tourism in partnership with safari companies to create employment and community income and to conserve their land for wildlife.
Highly commended:
Turtle Conservation Project, Sri Lanka
Peak District Environmental Quality Mark, UK
Caiman Ecological Refuge, Brazil
Sponsored by Rainbow Tours
Rainbow Tours specialises in tailor-made holidays and small group tours to Africa, Madagascar and Latin America. We have always believed that tourism can play a vital part in cultural and environmental conservation. Over the last decade Rainbow Tours has worked closely with many inspirational individuals and organisations that are in the frontline of conserving threatened wildlife and habitats, and who depend on the revenues that tourism can generate.
It’s impossible to conserve the environment without sustainable rural development – the two go hand in hand - and Africa has taken a lead in demonstrating how tourism can be developed in a sustainable way for the benefit of both local communities and the wider environment. As we’ve developed our travel programme to include Latin America we are finding the same local concerns and determination to find ways of enabling tourism to be a force for good.
We welcome these tourism awards and the opportunity to recognise those people world-wide who are working to ensure visitors have an exceptional holiday, and at the same time help them to have a positive impact on the environments and habitats they visit. Responsible tourism really does matter!
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