HTML Document The Royal Tour Operator for Sustainable Tourism

Released 21/07/2008
Contributor cupceant

Tour-link is a project that aims at demonstrating how an integrated ecolabeling and tour operating supply chain management strategy can foster sustainability in tourism. As a final project event in relation to the dissemination of good practices in sustainability actions and policies to the tour operator sector, and suppliers, Royal Awards is co-ordinating the “Best Tour Operator” Award.
For further information, Naut Kusters: n.kusters@eceat.nl

Former awards on sustainable tourism

Calvia 2003

Best public initiative: The project MED-COAST S-T “Strategies and tools towards Sustainable Tourism in Mediterranean Coastal Areas” submitted by the province of Rimini in Italy was chosen among the public initiatives. The project aims at fostering integration between tourism and environmental strategies in costal areas in Italy and Spain through integrated costal zone management, improvement private operators environmental performance, the participation of local communities and more.

Best private initiative:Winner of the private initiatives was project VISIT submitted by ECOTRANS in Germany. In 2000 there were approximately 40 regional, national and international ecolabels for Tourism in Europe. The project wishes to demonstrate how tourism ecolabels in Europe can be an effective instrument in moving the tourism industry and consumers towards a more sustainable behaviour. The steps and objectives are among others to make an assessment in Europe on ecolabels and develop a set of key indicators for sustainable tourism development. The development of a standard for ecolabels for tourism will facilitate the identification of reliable ecolabels and thereby avoid misleading the consumer.

The very well arranged ceremony gathered 160 people from the tourist industry, participating finalists, NGO’s, local governmental and environmental institutions, all enjoying the ceremonial dinner in the exhibition hall of Calvía City Council and the awarding of statuettes to the winners. The President of the Regional Government of the Baleric Ilands Mr. Francesc Antich and the Major of Calvia Ms. Margarita Nájera delivered the statuettes. Besides the two winners the 5 other finalists were given a diploma and the rest of the participants will receive a certificate of participation.

“Sustainable Tourism development meets the needs of present tourists and host regions while protecting and enhancing opportunity for the future. It is envisaged as leading to management of all resources in such a way that economic, social, aesthetic needs can be fulfilled while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity, and life support systems.”