Mario Hardy, President and CEO, Pacific Travel Association, receiving the Change Maker in Tourism Award on behalf of Dasho Tshering Tobgay, former Prime Minister of Bhutan. Presenting the award is Ajay Prakash, President, IIPT India
Change Maker in Tourism Award, Dasho Tshering Tobgay, former Prime Minister of Bhutan received IIPT Award for placing environment above economic growth. From being a carbon neutral country, Bhutan has gone to being a carbon negative country. Bhutan produces around 1.5 million tonnes of carbon every year but because of the immense greenery of 72% pristine forest cover, more than 6 million tonnes of carbon is absorbed. Therefore, Bhutan is a carbon sink for more than 4.5 million tons of CO2.
The 4th annual Global Resilience Summit 2019 organised by the Global Travel & Tourism Resilience Council concluded on 7th November at the Congress Centre, London with the announcement of the annual “Champions in Challenge” awards of the International Institute for Peace Through Tourism.
These awards, purposely presented within the Resilience Council events, focus on the importance of tourism as a force for good, aiding recovery, boosting resilience and promoting prosperity through ethical and sustainable practices.
The IIPT (International Institute for Peace Through Tourism) is a not-for-profit organization founded 33 years ago by Dr. Louis D’Amore and is dedicated to fostering and facilitating tourism initiatives which contribute to international understanding and cooperation. It is founded on two simple, but powerful, premises: 1. That tourism, possibly the largest global industry, can become the world’s first global Peace Industry, and 2. That every tourist is potentially an Ambassador of Peace.
IIPT Founder and President, Louis D’Amore stated “IIPT is most proud to announce the winners of the Champions in Challenge Awards as they serve as role models for both current and future leaders in guiding the continued exponential growth of the industry towards a sustainable future that contributes to both peace and prosperity.
Past IIPT award winners include business leaders, Ministers, Members of Parliament and organizations across the globe who have been instrumental in showcasing to the world that travel & tourism is one of humanity’s truly global activities that bring prosperity, which in turn fosters peace.
Resiliency in Business Award Countrystyle Community Tourism Network, Jamaica – for developing entrepreneurship and innovation in community based tourism, particularly through the “Villages as Businesses” program.
Discover Dominica Authority – for the “Recovery for Rediscovery” campaign in the wake of Hurricane Maria.
Speaking about the Awards, Ajay Prakash, President of IIPT India and Executive Vice President of IIPT said: “Today more than ever there is a need to reiterate the role that tourism can and should play to engender peace and prosperity. These awards seek to acknowledge, felicitate and hold up as role models exceptional individuals and organizations who have gone above and beyond the call of duty or business as usual and stood up boldly, especially in times of challenge or crisis to create real human value and transform lives.”
Dr. Taleb Rifai, Chairman of the IIPT Advisory Board and former Secretary General of UNWTO said, “Resilience and Tourism are about sustaining life on the planet. People are going to continue to travel so it is important to honor the visionaries in this industry since the vision is Tourism for Humanity.”
Anita Mendiratta
, IIPT Ambassador at large for Global Relations and who conducted the awards event remarked, “Champions in Challenge are individuals, true leaders who have the purpose, principles and passion to stand up and lead when others struggle to step forward – especially in a crisis. Today’s award recipients are all sources of inspiration for the difference they continue to make.”
Daniela Wagner, the Convener of the Resilience Summit said, “We are very excited to collaborate with IIPT and celebrate the awards again since these awards are more important than ever in a time of challenge and uncertainty.”
The next major IIPT awards are the “Celebrating Her” awards for exceptional women in the fields of travel & tourism, scheduled for March 2020 at ITB Berlin.
