WTTC invites entries for 2010 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) is inviting tourism companies and organisations from around the world that can demonstrate best practice in sustainable tourism development to submit their applications for the 2010 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards. The deadline for applications is 2 December 2009.

Jean-Claude Baumgarten, president & CEO of WTTC said, ''The awards, now in their sixth year under WTTC's stewardship, exemplify the council's multi-stakeholder vision set out in the Blueprint for New Tourism that looks beyond short-term considerations and focuses on benefits not only for the people who travel, but also for people in the communities they visit, and for their respective natural, social and cultural environments."

"The Travel & Tourism industry as a whole has radically changed the way it views sustainability, moving it from the sidelines to centre stage," says Costas Christ, chairman of Judges of the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards.

The finalists and winners will:

• be publicly recognised and will meet government and industry leaders at the Awards ceremony which takes place at WTTC's annual Global Travel & Tourism Summit
• receive outstanding, international media exposure thanks to WTTC's extensive media partnerships
• be endorsed by a panel of judges comprising internationally acclaimed experts in sustainable tourism.

The Awards are determined in the following four categories:

Destination stewardship award: This award goes to a destination - country, region, state, or town - which comprises a network of tourism enterprises and organisations that show dedication to, and success in, maintaining a programme of sustainable tourism management at the destination level, incorporating social, cultural, environmental and economic aspects as well as multi-stakeholder engagement.