Holiday with a clean conscience

The negative environmental impact of tourism can be huge. Even discounting the air pollution and impact on the climate of your flight, once you get there, there’s the degradation of natural resources, ecosystems and exploitation of local people to think about. Such concerns have led many operators within the travel industry to think again about the packages they offer in an attempt to turn this around.

The Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards 2007—voted for by the tourists rather than the industry—celebrate tourism ventures that provide outstanding holidays, while benefiting local people and the destinations.

So if you’re looking to go on holiday and take your conscience with you, then check out the following organisations singled out in this year’s awards for making a significant commitment to responsible tourism.

1. Overall Winner and Best destination: The New Forest
The judges were unanimous in their praise for The New Forest, a destination which has worked over the last 15 years with visitors, the industry and the community—including commoners and small holders—to look after the environment and benefit all interests as well as providing a model for other destinations to follow.
www.thenewforest.co.uk

2. Best Tour Operator: Gecko’s Adventures, Australia
Chosen for making the most of the positive economic and social impacts of their tours, through the use of locally owned accommodation and employment of local tour leaders who are able to share with holidaymakers their passion for their country’s history, culture and natural beauty.
www.geckosadventures.com
Also highly commended in this category were KE Adventure Travel (www.keadventure.com), Tribes Travel (www.tribes.co.uk) and Imaginative Traveller (www.imaginative-traveller.com)

3. Best Large Hotel/Accommodation (more than 50 rooms): Apex Hotels Ltd, UK
The judges selected Apex Hotels for their work in urban regeneration, converting office blocks on brown field sites into hotels and ensuring that they are as environmentally friendly as possible.
Also highly commended in this sector were Evason Phuket and Six Senses Spa, Thailand (www.sixsenses.com/evason-phuket/) and Radisson SAS Hotel, Edinburgh (www.edinburgh.radissonsas.com/)

4. Best Small Hotel/Accommodation (less than 50 rooms): Finca Esperanza Verde Ecolodge, Nicaragua
The judges praised Finca’s Esperanza’s use of tourism to generate local economic development in a rural area of Nicaragua. By improving infrastructure as well as creating employment and enterprise opportunities the hotel has demonstrated what a positive difference tourism can make in a local community. www.fincaesperanzaverde.org
Also highly commended in this category were: Papillote Wilderness Retreat, Dominica ( www.papillote.dm/ ) and Lamai Homestay & Guesthouse, Thailand (www.thailandhomestay.com)

Other winners included:
Eurostar for Best Low Carbon Transport & Technology www.eurostar.com
Explorandes, Peru for Best in a Mountain Environment www.explorandes.com
Blue o two, UK for Best in a Marine Environment www.blueotwo.com
Borana, Kenya for Best for Poverty Reduction www.borana.co.ke
La Ruta Moskitia, Honduras for Best in a Park or Protected Area sponsored by Conservation International www.larutamoskitia.com
Grootbos Nature Reserve, South Africa for Best for Conservation of an Endangered Species www.nature-reserve.co.za
Andaman Discoveries, Thailand for Best for Conservation of Cultural Heritage www.andamandiscoveries.com
Azafady, UK / Madagascar for Best Volunteering Organisation www.azafady.org