PATA announces winners of the Tourism InSPIRE Awards 2015

BANGKOK - The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is pleased to announce the winners of the Tourism InSPIRE Awards 2015. Proudly supported by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the SWITCH-Asia Regional Policy Support Component (RPSC), managed by UNEP, funded by the European Union, and implemented by PATA, the awards recognise six organisations and businesses that have demonstrated excellence in social, environmental, and economic sustainability in tourism.

PATA will present the six Tourism InSPIRE Awards at a special awards ceremony on the evening of Friday, November 27, 2015, at a dinner gala hosted by the Tourism Promotions Board Philippines during the PATA New Tourism Frontiers Forum 2015 in Legazpi, Albay, Philippines.

Mr Mario Hardy, CEO, PATA said, “On behalf of PATA, I would like to send my sincere congratulations to all the winners of the Tourism InSPIRE Awards 2015 and thank all of those who applied as well as all of our supporters. We look forward to celebrating our winners in the Philippines, and sharing their accomplishments on our sustainability platform, sustain.pata.org.”

The Tourism InSPIRE Awards are presented to outstanding applications in six categories: Best Branded Accommodation, Best Independent Accommodation, Best Marine and Wildlife Tourism Provider, Best Culture and Heritage Tourism Provider, Best Responsible Tourism Destination, Best Community Based Tourism Initiative. Winners exemplify use and application of sustainable consumption approaches (resource efficiency, value chain approach, eco-innovation, sustainable consumption, sustainability reporting, community action, cultural heritage, and collective impact.

The Tourism InSPIRE Award 2015 for Best Branded Accommodation is awarded to El Nido Resorts, Philippines, for its innovative and inspirational activities.

Sukau Rainforest Lodge of Malaysia receives the Tourism InSPIRE Award 2015 for Best Independent Accommodation for its stakeholder engagement efforts and exemplary practices.

The Tourism InSPIRE Award 2015 for Best Marine and Wildlife Tourism Provider is presented to Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts of Sri Lanka for its clear commitment to sustainable consumption and production (SCP) practices, tangible impacts and measurable outcomes.

Siddhalepa Ayurveda Health Resort also of Sri Lanka receives the Tourism InSPIRE Award 2015 for Best Culture and Heritage Tourism Provider for its clear commitment to sustainability. The Blue Yonder of India will receive an Honourable Mention in the same category.

In the category of Best Responsible Tourism Destination for the Tourism InSPIRE Award 2015, the winner is Borneo Rainforest Lodge of Malaysia for its performance in stakeholder engagement and resource efficiency.

Bojo Aloguinsan Ecotourism Association (BAETAS) of the Philippines receives the Tourism InSPIRE Award 2015 for Best Community Based Tourism Initiative for its serious commitment to sustainability principles and evident benefits to community members. CBT Vietnam and Ban Rai Gong King Community-Based Tourism Club receive Honourable Mentions in the same category.

Mr Kaveh Zahedi, Regional Director and Representative for Asia and the Pacific of the United Nations Environment Programme, said, “Tourism is a 1 trillion dollar per year industry that is vital for the economies of many nations in Asia-Pacific. But the industry also comes with a high price tag for the environment. Companies that harness the power of tourism as a force for promoting sustainable development and the protection of natural, cultural and heritage resources will be the front runners of the shift towards the green economy. We would like to congratulate all nominees and winners of the inaugural Tourism InSPIRE Awards for tackling the challenges of sustainable tourism in their value chains, within their local communities and across their sector. As champions of Sustainable Tourism, we are confident that you will inspire others in your ever-growing industry."

Mr Thomas Wiley, SWITCH-Asia: Head of Sector, European Commission added, "SWITCH-Asia is a programme funded by the European Union to promote sustainable consumption and production in Asia. Tourism is a very important industry in Asia, and a fast growing one. It can have considerable effects on the environment and these can, in many cases, be strongly detrimental. It is very important to manage tourism in such a way as to protect the sites that the tourists travel to Asia to enjoy. I'd like to congratulate the winners of the Tourism InSPIRE Awards, they have demonstrated a variety of creative ways that can be effective in sustainably managing tourism and protecting natural sites. I hope that their experiences will indeed be an inspiration for others to follow.”

Please note that due to the lack of applicants for the category of Best Culinary Tourism Provider, the category has been removed.

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