Is Your Travel Operation an Innovator in Sustainable Tourism?

(Dive Travel Business News - July 14, 2010) -- Washington, D.C. – The International Ecotourism Society (TIES), as part of a series of initiatives commemorating the 20th anniversary of the founding of the world’s oldest and largest association dedicated to promoting ecotourism, has launched the annual Innovation Leadership in Sustainable Tourism Awards to recognize and honor accomplishments by sustainable tourism leaders and pioneers.

The Innovation Award has been created by TIES to recognize those individuals and organizations who demonstrate leadership in innovative actions that effectively promote sustainable tourism and bring tangible benefits to communities and conservation. The Award winners – one individual and one organization – will be honored for their best practices and innovative actions, judged based on one example of an innovative project, product, or program developed in the previous year that supports the goal of uniting communities, conservation, and sustainable travel

Throughout the history of TIES,; says Dr. Kelly Bricker, Chair of TIES Board of Directors, we have been working with our members from around the world towards the goal of uniting conservation, communities, and sustainable travel. TIES Innovation Award offers a unique opportunity to share tangible examples of the importance of this goal, and to honor those who are driving positive change through leadership in conservation efforts and travel product development. It really is a wonderful opportunity to honor those making a difference.

Nominations are being accepted now for the 2010 TIES Innovation Awards. Nominations must be received no later than Midnight Monday, August 2, 2010 US Pacific Daylight Time. The winning two finalists will be honored at the Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference (ESTC), being held from September 8-10, 2010, Portland, Oregon, USA. The Innovation Award Presentation Ceremony will be held annually during the ESTC, to be hosted by TIES and ESTC sponsors. More information on TIES Innovation Awards and nomination instructions are available at: www.ecotourism.org/innovation-awards.