Girl from Brazil Wins Top Sustainability Prize at ITB

Vanessa Lima said “The Network seeks to strengthen the community-based tourism proposal, offering beautiful landscapes allied to social commitment. Together, each community grows strong, fostering the exchange of experiences and cooperation, taking into account the sharing of knowledge and the development of collective strategies for overcoming challenges to be faced.”

“The Tucum Network is a pioneer project of community-based tourism formed by communities located on the coast of Ceará and is being built by many hands. It has the participation of ten coastal communities, indigenous people, fishermen and women, rural settlers, two solidarity-based accommodation facilities in Fortaleza, and three NGO’s Terramar Institute (Brazil), Tremembé Association (Italy) and Friends of Prainha do Canto Verde Foundation (Switzerland).”

Enrique Umbert set up Mountain Lodges of Peru after knocking down a child in his car. He took the child home to the village, fell in love with the countryside and determined to build lodges so others could enjoy the experience and benefit the inhabitants.

Now four lodges, a trail and a charitable foundation later, Mountain Lodges of Peru has won the ToDo prize for responsible tourism.

See travelmole story at:
Mountain Lodges of Peru

The third winner was the Swiss Unesco Biosphere at Entlebuch Entlebuch is Switzerland’s first biosphere reserve. In cooperation with the local population, concepts for the protection, maintenance and long-term development are designed and processed in joint projects.

Switzerland’s largest and most numerous moor landscapes are to be found within a 400 square km area that has a flora and fauna of national and international importance.

Theo Snider celebrated his win by donning local costume and playing his flugelhorn!

The equal winners were:
• REDE TUCUM Regional network from the Brazilian state of Ceará,
• MOUNTAIN LODGES OF PERU in Cusco and Lima
• The UNESCO BIOSPHERE ENTLEBUCH in the canton of Lucerne.

"After nine years we again have a European project on the TO DO! podium", said Studienkreis Managing Director Dr. Wibke Reger. "More than 80 percent of the winners and almost two thirds of the project entries continue to be from developing countries or emerging economies."

This year’s winning projects are prime examples illustrating "that the sustainable use of natural resources is at the same time the best way to protect them," said Dr. Harry Lehmann in his speech in honour of the TO DO! winners.

Embedded in regional economic circuits, "tourism that has been conceptualized in a sustainable manner has many advantages: It combines nature conservation with the conservation of cultural heritage, creates jobs and encourages intercultural dialogue between visitors and local people."

Mr. Lehmann, Head of Environmental Planning and Sustainability Strategies at the German Federal Environment Agency, furthermore emphasized: "The award-winning projects show that in all parts of the world and in every socio-cultural context, the application of sustainability criteria in tourism leads to success."

Valere Tjolle