Geotourism Challenge tourism winners unveiled
Winners have been announced for the annual National Geographic Changemakers tourism prize.
The Places on the Edge: Saving Coastal and Freshwater Destinations competition was open to all types of individuals and organizations (charitable organizations, private companies, or public entities) from all countries. All dentries were considered that:
Reflected the theme of the challenge: Places on the Edge: Saving Coastal and Freshwater Destinations. The scope of the competition is to identify innovative solutions that will allow coastal, waterway, and island destinations to protect the environment and strengthen the heritage and livelihoods of local residents. Entries are invited from organizations and individuals in all countries.
Indicate growth beyond the conceptual stage and have demonstrated impact and sustainability.
The three winners will each receive a prize of USD $5,000:
Coral Gardens – Living Reefs www.coralsforconservation.com/
The Environmental Learning, Leadership, Adventure, and Stewardship Initiative (ELLAS) www.pasopacifico.org/
Development of economic partnerships between artisanal fisher folk and tourism operators costaricanconservationnetwork.wordpress.com/
There were additional specialist prizes:
The muchbetteradventures.com prize winners are:
- Hacienda Tranquila from the Galapagos,
- Privately Managed Sugud Islands Marine Conservation Area
- Reef Guardian from Malaysia,
- Alma Natura ecologia mistica y aventura – Donde nacen los ríos from Argentina.
The winners of the Premio Carbonocero from Fundación Plan21 are:
- Promoting ecotourism and sustainable agriculture in communities surrounding La laguna de apoyo from Nicaragua,
- Plan de ordenamiento de la comunidad de Añangu from Ecuador
- Creating a Sustainable World – International Education Program from the Dominican Republic.
The joint prize from StepUp Travel, MatadorU, Xola Consulting and the Adventure Travel Trade Association is awarded to:
- Blue Ventures from Madagascar.
Entries from Latin America and the Caribbean also had the opportunity to apply for up to US $5 million of co-financing from the IADB and Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF).The winners of the MIF opportunity will be announced on March 14th.
Valere Tjolle
Valere is editor of the Sustainable Tourism Report Suite 2011 latest special offer at www.travelmole.com/stories/1146423.php
Valere
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