Each year, the Wild Asia accepts applications from companies based in Asia for its Responsible Tourism Awards. Wild Asia’s Responsible Tourism Awards is one of the first tourism award in Asia specifically focused on sustainable tourism best practices.
Established by Wild Asia in 2006, this annual award aims to recognize accommodation operators who are making a positive difference in the destination where they operate by adopting sustainable management practices. The Awards are founded on international standards (the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria) and provide a unique opportunity for businesses, organisations, and destinations across the region to benchmark their operations against global criteria, and be assessed free of charge by renowned experts in the field.
Award Categories
This year, there are seven categories available:
- Best in Community Engagement & Development: This award recognizes exceptional commitment to supporting the local community and economy in which your business operates.
- Best in Cultural Preservation: This award recognizes engagement and efforts by tourism businesses in preserving, enhancing and promoting local cultures and heritage.
- Best in Protection of Natural Areas & Wildlife Conservation: This award recognizes tourism businesses’ consideration of their local environment and biodiversity by actively supporting and protecting their natural assets.
- Best in Resource Efficiency: This award recognizes excellence in waste, water and energy management and sustainable architectural design in order to minimize your business’s environmental impact.
- Most Inspiring Responsible Tourism Destination: This award recognizes the tourism destination that excels by taking into consideration all the key principles of responsible tourism (maximum positive impacts to the local community and minimum negative impacts to the environment) and awards innovation for the most inspiration destination of the year.
- Most Inspiring Responsible Tourism Initiative: This award recognizes grass-roots initiatives championing responsible tourism within their destination.
- Most Inspiring Responsible Tourism Operator: This award recognizes the tourism operator that excels by taking into consideration all the key principles of responsible tourism (maximum positive impacts to the local community and minimum negative impacts to the environment) and awards innovation for this most inspiring tourism business of the year.
Eligibility Criteria
- Only companies based in Asia can enter.
- Companies providing services in these regions, but not based within the region will not be considered.
- Businesses currently contracting Wild Asia for consultancy services cannot apply.
Past Award Winners
2014
- Best in Community Engagement and Development Award to Borneo Eco Tours, Malaysia who has been a pioneer in responsible nature tours since 1991. Two of their most popular destinations in which they operate includes the iconic Kinabatangan River, where guests can enjoy their award-winning Sukau Rainforest Lodge and Borneo’s famed primates, and Kudat, which provides opportunities for guests to visit and support cottage industries.
- Best in Cultural Preservation Award to Ock Pop Tok, Laos. For the past 15 years they have been working to cultivate and preserve Laos’ textile heritage through sustainable tourism.
- Most Inspiring Responsible Tourism Initiative Award to The ChildSafe Network who is helping to protect vulnerable children in tourism destinations across Cambodia and other parts of South East Asia.
2013
- Best in Community Engagement and Development Award to Lisu Lodge, Thailand which is part of a community based project that aims to conserve the natural heritage of the hill tribes of northern Thailand.
- Best in Cultural Preservation Award to Apani Dhani, India. Apani Dhani is based in the heart of Rajasthan. They offer eco-friendly accommodation, excursions and activities with locals such as cooking lessons, initiation to traditional arts and crafts.
- Best in Resource Efficiency Award to Heritance Kandalama, Sri Lanka. Heritance Kandalama is based in the heart of the cultural triangle in Sri Lanka, built overlooking the rock fortress of Sigiriya. Endorsed by both ISO14001 and ISO50001 management systems for energy and water efficiency, they continuously achieve quantitative goals to reduce consumption.
How to Apply?
Applicants can download the application form from the website provided individually for each category and submit it via email.
Selected Finalists will be asked to provide supporting materials.
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