Global tourism award for Australia’s Great Barrier Reef

18 May, 2007

The Great Barrier Reef of Australia has been awarded the international Tourism for Tomorrow Award for Best Destination.

The Best Destination award was one of the four awards announced by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) at its 7th Global Travel and Tourism Summit held in Lisbon, Portugal, in the second week of May 2007.

The Tourism for Tomorrow award recognises and promotes the best practices in tourism development all over the world. It is awarded in four categories: Destination, Conservation, Investor in People, and Global Tourism Business.

The winners in 2007 are:

Destination Award – Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Conservation Award – Aspen Skiing Company, the United States
Investor in People Award – Nihiwatu Resort, Indonesia
Global Tourism Business Award – Lindblad Expeditions, USA & Global

According to Australia’s Tourism Minister Magaret Keech, the World Travel and Tourism Council award is a significant recognition for the combined efforts of governments, industry bodies and operators who continued to address environmental concerns affecting the Great Barrier Reef.

Magaret Keech described the Great Barrier Reef of Australia, the world’s largest living organism, as “a unique and precious resource for Queensland, Australia and the world.”

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park is also the world’s largest heritage site.

Daniel Gschwind, chief executive officer of Queensland Tourism Industry Council, termed the award as the foremost accolade for sustainable tourism. The Great Barrier Reef, Gschwind said, topped over 130 entries from 40 countries across seven continents.

Each year, millions of domestic and international visitors come to Queensland to experience the unique charm of the Reef, which generates up to 50,000 regional jobs and pumps $5 billion into Queensland’s economy, Magaret Keech said.

Geoffrey Kent, chairman of the World Travel and Tourism Council, remarked after announcing the awards: “Over the past few years, we have witnessed a positive growth in environmentally sustainable business activity not only among the travel and tourism industry but also beyond. Consumer consciousness has encouraged companies, and especially WTTC companies, to engage in sustainable programs by delivering environment-friendly products.”

The winners were selected by a panel of five judges, who conducted on-site evaluation visits with a team of sustainable tourism experts from around the world.

The awards were sponsored, among others, by British Airways, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, National Geographic Adventure, and Reed Travel Exhibitions.