2021 Green Destinations Story Awards unveiled
In a live online event on Friday 12th March, sponsored by ITB Berlin and GLP Films, Green Destinations announced the winners of the Green Destinations Story Awards.
Important selection criteria were the level of innovation, the effectiveness of the stories to solve real problems in tourism sustainability, and to what extent they can be applied elsewhere.
GLP Films (GLP), a content marketing agency dedicated to global sustainable tourism, was the official “storytelling partner” for the event. They provided video storytelling consultation and editing services to help the finalists communicate their award-winning sustainability stories.
Category Communities & Culture:
Winner – Fiskars Village, Finland
ITB Earth Award – Category Environment & Climate:
Winner – Futaleufú, Chile
Category Nature & Ecotourism:
Winner – Tivat, Montenegro
Category Islands & Seaside:
Winner – Niue Island
Category Covid and Tourism:
Winner – Nijmegen, Netherlands
Green Destinations People’s Choice Award:
Winner – Bitez (Bodrum), Turkey
Photo top of page: One of this year’s five Green Destinations Story Awards winners – Nijmegen, Netherlands – © Francois Gha on Unsplash
ITB LGBT Pioneer Award goes to Ralph Ehrlich
Rika Jean-François and Thomas Bömkes announced this year’s LGBT Pioneer Award recipient: Berlin-based AIDS activist Ralph Ehrlich.
Since 2005, Ehrlich has been a member of the Berlin AIDS Relief Organisation Berliner Aids-Hilfe e.V., not only with the aim of advancing the cause in the German capital, but indeed globally. He is also founder of the annual “Life Run” fund raising event.
“We still have to fight for our rights,” said Ehrlich, after receiving the award, adding that “especially in the pandemic, the tone is getting rougher again.”
“We will continue to be a strong community that will vigorously defend demands loudly and visibly,” he added. “But I would also like to thank the many great people who have been accompanying me for decades. Without you, my work and commitment would not be possible and my life would be poorer.”
Women reach for the stars @ ITB Berlin NOW
Three influential women from the tourism industry received ITB IIPT Celebrating Her Awards, presented last week by ITB Berlin and the International Institute for Peace Through Tourism (IIPT), Section India.
One of them was Petra Hedorfer, long-serving chief executive of the German National Tourist Board: “Throughout my entire career sustainability has been a core objective, because tourism would not be possible without protecting the environment”, explained Hedorfer, whose own efforts have made a major contribution to establishing Germany internationally as a sustainable and barrier-free destination.
Second award winner Sonal Asgotraa from India, is primarily concerned with combining astrotourism and homestay offers. She has already implemented a number of successful model projects in the highlands of Ladakh in the Indian Himalayan region.
Natalia Bayona from Colombia, is director of Innovation, Education and Investments for the World Tourism Organisation. Her responsibilities include innovation and digital transformation, including cooperation with dedicated female entrepreneurs.
“Social Entrepreneurship Competition in Tourism” announced
The third annual Social Entrepreneurship Competition in Tourism was launched on 9 March at ITB Berlin NOW in partnership with the TUI Care Foundation. It is the first and only worldwide competition focusing on social innovation and entrepreneurship in tourism and hospitality.
This year, three new partners have been announced: the TUI Care Foundation, the UNWTO and SINA.
The structure of the competition follows the spirit of the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals and seeks to support the achievement of Quality Education, Gender Equality, Decent Work and Economic Growth, and Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure.
Learn more, or apply, at socialtourismcompetition.com.
