PR No.: 15099

A public sector initiative to fight the sexual exploitation of children in the tourism sector in Medellin (Colombia); a project by the government of Banyuwangi in Indonesia promoting ICT in tourism; the East Africa Tourism Platform and its multi-destination knowledge management tool; and the Green Certification Programme of Puerto Rico, are the nominees in the category of Public Policy and Governance.

In the category of Enterprises, nominees include the Garuda Indonesia airline and its ‘Bali beach clean-up’ initiative which emphasizes the role of communities in preserving coastal areas; Switzerland Explorer Tours, with a 100% electric bus tour and sustainable tour experiences; Meliá Hotels International (Spain) recognized for promoting employment opportunities for young people at risk of exclusion; the Treetop Walking Path in the Anykščiai Regional Park in Lithuania; and the ‘Projeto Fartura’ of Brazil and its Plentifulness Project linking gastronomy, research and travel in 145 Brazilian cities.

The work done in the areas of child protection and gender equality has been recognized by the jury in the projects selected in the category of NGOs. These include projects by Friends International from Cambodia, Children in the Wilderness from South Africa and Sisterhood of Survivors from Nepal. The list of finalists in the category of NGOs is completed with an initiative to protect ecosystems in Indonesia – the Coral Reef Reborn Project.

Finally, in the category of Research and Technology, the jury nominated the Itaipu Complex, a project promoting tourism-based territorial development in Brazil, the Bike Rijeka, a mobile application from Croatia; and the Korea Medical Tourism Online Platform from the Republic of Korea.            

Finalists will present their projects and share their expertise during the UNWTO Awards Forum to be held on 18 January 2016 at Palacio Neptuno, Madrid. The Forum is also an opportunity to share and learn about the most innovative tourism trends with speakers from Hilton Worldwide, Facebook and Airbnb, among others.

The 12th edition of the UNWTO Awards on Excellence and Innovation are held in collaboration with Madrid International Tourism Trade Fair (FITUR/IFEMA) and with the support of the Macao Government Tourist Office (Macao, China), Port Aventura, the Galicia Tourism Board (Spain), Hilton Worldwide, Etihad Airways, Mapfre Asistencia, Amadeus and the Paraguay Tourism Board.

Additional information:  

List of 12th UNWTO Awards Finalists

Know more about the UNWTO Awards

Register in the UNWTO Awards Forum and in the UNWTO Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner

Note for Editors

The UNWTO Awards are the flagship awards for the global tourism sector. They recognize knowledge creation, dissemination and innovation in tourism and its contribution to sustainability and responsibility in the sector in line with the UNWTO Code of Ethics for Tourism and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Contacts:

UNWTO Media Officer: Rut Gómez Sobrino

Tel: (+34) 91 567 81 60

UNWTO Communications & Publications Programme

Tel: (+34) 91 567 8100 / Fax: +34 91 567 8218