Also according to treehugger.com - Denmark is going to have the world largest fleet of electric hydrogen fuelcell cars..

I will keep you posted when the hydrogen station infrastructure gets going here

Win a holiday and a holiday wardrobe!

To win a luxury weekend break for 2 in Devon, plus £300 worth of vouchers for a Fair Trade holiday wardrobe to match, all you have to do is answer this question:

Both People Tree and responsibletravel.com projects support communities in Peru.

Which of these regions is NOT found in Peru:
a) Amazonas
b) Cusco
c) Himalayas

Enter the competition

Find out more about the holiday, the competition and terms & conditions

20% off at People Tree

And if that wasn’t enough, they’re also offering a 20% discount at People Tree when quoting this special code, RTJUL08, to redeem the offer. You can also place orders at www.peopletree.co.uk or over the phone on 0845 450 4595.

Be quick though as the offer ends 8th July 2008!

In order to promote cycling to ladies in the London borough of Lambeth and to show that cycling can be cool and chic, Lambeth council have decided to organise the bicycle belles competition. There are hundreds of women cycling through and around Lambeth every day and the numbers are increasing. As it is no longer the domain of the lycra clad middle class male, they are looking for images that portray the diversity of women and their bikes. So please send them your photographs of women cycling in and around the borough. More info on how to submit your entries here.

For those of you not living or working in Lambeth like myself there is no need to feel left out. I have discovered a fab website called cyclechic where you can upload photos of yourself cycling and looking glam on their facebook group. So what are you waiting for, the weather is great, get on yer bike and don’t forget to take your camera.

Kate

GreenFinder

The Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards, founded and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with our partners, Telegraph Travel, Geographical Magazine and World Travel Market, need your help in scouring the globe for interesting, unusual, innovative but above all worthy nominees for this year’s Awards.

In 2007 we received over 1700 nominations from travellers around the world and we’d love to use your responsible travel know-how to find operators, accommodations, low carbon transport, tourism organisations and individuals who you think are the best of the best in responsible tourism for 2008.

The New Forest - 2007 overall winner

Last year’s overall winner, best destination, and best personal contribution (for destination manager, Anthony Climpson) award winner was the New Forest in the UK in recognition of the work they have been doing for over 15 years with visitors, industry and the community to look after the environment and promote sustainable local development. Find out more and watch a video about overall winners, the New Forest.

What does it mean to win a Responsible Tourism Award?

If you’re not sure whether it’s worth making a nomination, take a look at some of these comments from last year’s winners:

Mark Jacobs of Azafady, winner of the Best Volunteering Organisation Award said:

‘Winning the award has clearly increased the profile of Azafady and its work out in south-east Madagascar.

When potential volunteers look at our website, the knowledge that we have been named “Best Volunteering Organisation” provides an extra assurance that our work has been vetted independently and found to be the best in its field.

We have already received applications from volunteers who have cited the Responsible Tourism Awards as the reason they have applied to us and I’ve no doubt that winning the award will result in an overall increase in the numbers of volunteers going out to Madagascar.’

While Arugam Bay, in Sri Lanka, Highly Commended in the Best Destination category said:

‘Arugam Bay has been rewarded for its unique community tourism offers, most of all, Arugam Bay people are now very proud of their achievements. The Award has helped them to get international publicity and for a long time to come they will cherish this Award. The formal tourism sector and the tourism authorities are now taking more interest in our work and want to help us.’

Read more interviews with our 2007 Responsible Tourism Award winners.

Nominate and you could win a holiday!

You can nominate in any of 13 categories - all we need is the name of the nominee and how to contact them, and a few lines explaining why you think they deserve to win an award. If you nominate an eventual Award winner, you could even win a prize holiday for 2 to India courtesy of Real World Adventures!

In support of the Responsible Tourism Awards

Support for the Responsible Tourism Awards is growing every year. Read what some of our supporters have to say:

Michael Palin
Getting to know more about each other remains one of the most important hopes for the peaceful future of the planet.

If we are really to understand each other better, then we need to be reminded to travel carefully and thoughtfully,
listening to people along the way and respecting the world we are privileged to travel through.

The Responsible Tourism Awards are one of the most important ways in which we can understand how to travel better.
Photograph by Basil Pao

Ben Fogle
The Responsible Tourism Awards scheme is now widely recognised around the world for leading the way in celebrating individual achievements in responsible tourism. This unique Awards scheme, run by responsibletravel.com, inspires travellers and travel companies to tackle the environmental, social and cultural issues that tourism faces, head on.

During my travels in the next few months I’ll be looking out for worthy nominees and encourage all passionate travellers to get on board: dig out those travel journals, tell your travel-mad friends and if you’re on the road, keep your eyes peeled for tourism ventures that are really making a difference. For me, the future of tourism is inextricably linked with this more thoughtful path of travel.

Pen Hadow, Explorer
The significance of each single step towards our shared worldwide goal of sustainable tourism is greater than you
may imagine – and these hesitant early steps are the most important as with any journey.

Your nominations for those that are our pathfinders are of inestimable value in building everyone’s confidence this really is the direction we must all be heading. Support our pathfinders and multiply the value of their efforts by encouraging others to follow their superlative example.
Photograph courtesy Pen Hadow

Alain de Botton, Writer & Philosopher
Over the last few years, we’ve become painfully aware that tourism isn’t just about passively observing a place,
it’s also about changing it - and usually for the worst. Most often we literally destroy the beauty or interest we have come to witness.

It’s therefore paramount that we learn to come up with forms of travel businesses that don’t destroy their host organisms
and The Responsible Tourism Awards sound like an admirable way forward.
Photograph by Charlotte de Botton

Responsible Tourism Awards magazine

Find out about all last year’s winners and read other interesting features on responsible tourism issues in our dedicated Responsible Tourism Awards magazine, r:travel.

I can’t wait to read your nominations!

Happy travelling…

Katie
responsibletravel.com

For those of you who have not seen the inspirational Kris Murrin in action, the last in the series can be viewed on Tuesday evening at 9pm. In the final episode Kris will be in Durham encouraging residents to go car free for a day. I’m hoping she has more success here than in Boston and that the simple, sensible idea of everyone going car free for one day every week will catch on and that this wont be the last we hear of this campaign.

Kate

GreenFinder

National Express, who currently run the Edinburgh to London East Coast rail line, offer through tickets from their destinations to Eurostar ones. I had already enquired earlier about the cost of this, having been thinking about going to Brussels for my fiance’s birthday. If you’re lucky, it can cost you just £79 return. Even though I booked the work trip nearer the time, it still only cost £120.

I should say that if you want to travel from Scotland to Paris by rail, you need time on your side. Not everyone’s company would be ok with them basically spending two days on the train, I’m very lucky. I set off from Edinburgh at 8am and got to Paris at 5.30pm. Coming back I set off at 10am and got back at 6pm. It would have been earlier but engineering works meant I had to get a coach between Darlington and Newcastle. I don’t mind long train journeys though, I’ve grown up doing them having lived in Orkney and visiting relatives in England during the holidays.

The National Express legs of the journey were perhaps the least comfortable, at least compared to the Eurostar seats and leg room (I hope one day you can get a through train). I was really glad to get off the train in London and stretch my legs with the short walk over the road to St Pancras International. Since last November this has been the new Eurostar hub, and it’s lovely, a vast improvement on the St Pancras of my student days in Sheffield, only a few years ago. Much more convenient for those coming from King’s Cross, St Pancras and Euston, it also has much better facilities than Waterloo (well, before you go through check-in and passport control that is). Although the Eurostar departure lounge may not have as many overpriced souvenir shops as it’s counterpart at Gare du Nord, it is very comfortable and offers power points for those with laptops to use.

I arrived in Paris relaxed and calm, having had time to read through my presentation, do a bit of knitting and watch a beautiful sunset over the French countryside. For me, this is the only way to travel.

Now one of the little girl’s favourite stories was of a magical land far away. This beautiful island could only be reached by boat and had more butterflies than people living there.

No cars were allowed on the island because that would certainly ruin it’s peace and tranquility and there were no supermarkets either. The little girl loved this story and would ask for it time and time again. She loved to hear about the people on their bicycles and in their horse and carriages going about their daily lives.

Thirty years later the little girl now grown up finally visited ‘Sark’ this mysterious island she’d heard so much about. Nestling amongst the other Channel Islands she took a day trip from Jersey on the ferry and decided to see the place for herself. It was just as she had imagined….

Yes, cars were still not allowed to disturb the peace and the place was heaven for cyclists, walkers, horse riders and wildlife. The sun shone, the sea sparkled and the scenery was amazing.

While it may not be everybodies cup of tea, it is certainy worth a visit if you crave something a bit different, a gentler pace of life, peace and tranquility and a pleasant little eco break away. Sark is really splendid!

He explained with great enthusiasm about his preparations to set sail on a voyage that would educate us about our impact on the environment in places that most of us may never visit. “I want to tell the stories that no-one is telling or wants to tell”, he said and from then I knew this was something special to be involved in.

There are many, many opportunities for you to be involved too so read on!

I invited David to tell us all about his yacht, the support he needs and his plans to get us all involved in promoting respect for our planet…

Q. David, welcome to GGG what you’re planning to do is pretty amazing where did the idea come from and what motivates you?

I have been passionate about adventure travel and discovery since I was a small boy in infant school, the great Captain James Cook was married in my local church which adjoined the infant school I attended and he was and still is my hero. While other kids were collecting swapping and sticking pictures of football players in there books I was reading the Collins atlas working out the route I would take when I was old enough, (I still have the Collins Atlas I was bought at the age of 10 and it travels everywhere with me).

At the age of 16 I went to sea as an ordinary seaman and I have worked around the ocean ever since. My ambition and dream in life has always been to circumnavigate the globe on my own yacht.

Combining my love for ocean life, adventure, wildlife and conservation and the ever increasing situations the planet is facing from man’s impact on the global environment, I feel I have a unique opportunity to promote change and more respect and understanding for our planet

Q. When will your voyage begin and what route will you take?

The Atlantic crossing will mark the beginning of the circumnavigation / expedition the plan is to cross the Atlantic this Nov 2007 to Brazil (Angra Dos Reis) which is south of Rio de Janeiro and hosts 365 tropical islands “that’s 1 for every day of the year”

From there we will travel north along the coast on the way to the Caribbean and beyond.

During your expedition you will be making documentaries, what will the films say and how do they differ from anything we have seen before?

The mission and primary goal for this expedition is to increase the public’s awareness of their impact on our Earth.

Through film our Projects will further our understanding of the complexity and interrelated nature of environmental issues, wildlife, conservation, culture, pollution and poverty and communicate our findings in a factual and unbiased, manner. The key objective to each and every filming project will be to present a diverse and independent voice that might otherwise go unheard or seen. Projects that have the potential for immediate impact on personal choices and consumer behavior and inspire individuals to actively participate in being part of the solution to environmental and humanitarian issues. Projects that are produced and executed in accordance with the highest professional and ethical standards.

With a dedicated film crew we will be able to produce documentaries at a fraction of the cost of major production companies, visit otherwise inaccessible locations, but more importantly on how we live and work. Living aboard an eco friendly yacht, using the sun and wind for power and not using diesel but a clean fuel for the yachts engine, the team / crew will live breath and promote a greener way. Oh, and one other thing the yacht is 14tonns of Ferro Cement and not 14 tonns of plastic. I never wanted a plastic yacht for many reasons including trying to reduce my own carbon footprint, as much as possible.

Q. You’ve been working very hard to get the yacht prepared for this circumnavigation is there any equipment that you still need?

Over the past 4 years I have basically rebuilt the yacht in preparation for this expedition and yes there is still equipment that the team will need. Some of if is essential and some is non essential, from special inflatable canoes that we will use for expeditions up the Amazon, for example to a new outboard engine for the dingy. I have a list of things but I am hoping that we can get the equipment we will need from sponsors and supporters.

Q. For the right people there are some fantastic opportunities to be involved in this voyage can you tell us what those opportunities are?

CREW
There are only 3 types of people that sail on a ship “Pirates, passengers and crew,” and I am looking for crew, but a very special crew, ideally made up of 3 max 4 people. They will have the combined skills to create, develop, direct, produce, edit a documentary while living and sailing aboard the yacht.

Living aboard an ocean going yacht is to say the least an alternative way of living but I would like to stress that apart from crossing oceans like the Atlantic or the Pacific the expedition will follow the coast line and touch land most days. The yacht will simply be the home for the production crew as opposed to a hotel room for conventional production crews, needless to say apart from thier professional skills. They will need to have a genuine love for wildlife conservation, the ocean and adventure with a passion for the outdoor life and the ability to improvise, adapt and overcome.

They will have the unique opportunity to help build and establish the production company / organisation and share in all the benefits.

I have seen on many documentaries, and I am sure you will agree, that a small independent and dedicated team can produce and deliver excellent stories.

SEAPACKERS
Apart from the film crew there is enough space aboard to invite 2 people every month for a period of a month. They will be known as ‘SeaPackers’. As this expedition in its nature is about adventure, discovery, travel and education, I would like to take full advantage of the space aboard. They will come from all walks of life but with the right marketing we will be able to focus on particular groups e.g. students from marine biologists, trainee seaman, divers, wildlife film makers, photographers, and free spirited travellers, people from various environmental organisations and groups.

They will be asked to contribute to the daily running costs of the yacht, food, fuel, mooring fees, but more importantly bringing different people on board will add to the content and stories we will tell. In addition, as a floating production company Earth Reporter will have external and internal cameras and will film the day to day activities on the yacht from the fish that is caught for supper to the chat around the table (a real reality show). They will be encouraged to take part in our productions from presenting a documentary to assisting in expeditions away from the yacht. Each Seapacker will leave with their own personalised DVD of their time aboard, along with a sea miles certificate which will be a great help to them as part of a CV.

We all have something to share and learn, but as a team we can do something positive and that is speaking for those who cannot speak and telling the stories that no one wants to tell, while keeping it inspirational and educational and not forgetting fun to be a part of.

So if you want to reduce your carbon footprint. How about swapping it for a pair of deck shoes or a set of flippers, and help in promoting change? Whether you would like to be a member of the live aboard film crew, or join Earth Reporter for a month as a Seapacker I would love to hear from you.

ARTISTS
I would like to paint a storyboard on the side of the yacht. I feel that I have a fantastic opportunity to paint the yacht how I like and I cannot think of anything better than painting both sides of the yacht in a mural. The Theme of the mural will be humanity, nature, wildlife, conservation, poverty, pollution and promoting more respect for the environment “MAKING GREEN WAVES” . This will help us in promoting the expedition and its cause and any partners, supporters or sponsors that are involved with us.

Who and where can we find the creative talent that would like to have the unique opportunity of designing and painting the yacht?????

This will not be a paid position, but more importantly to the individual or company that designs and commissions the work, they will be actively taking part in promoting change as well as their art. This is a truly unique opportunity for whoever has the artistic ability to come up with the design, they will get their work seen all over the world. The process of painting the theme on the yacht will be professionally filmed with interviews etc and a chance for the artist(s) to come on board with the expedition, links to our website and much more.

SUPPORTERS / SPONSORS
Taking full advantage of the yacht and the potential as a tool for promoting a greener way. I would like to offer a unique opportunity to the right type of companies and organizations or individuals that would like to promote their products / services on a global scale.

As you will be aware, the ocean and sailing yachts are used in images on television and in magazines for a wide variety of products and services, from food and drink products to insurances, loans, sports goods, toiletries, and much more. My idea is to offer companies and organisations that are proactively promoting a greener way a truly unique opportunity, whether they are selling a product or service. The aim is to do something different and using the yacht to bring together many of these organisations and advertise them on the yacht together.com, all over the yacht

Floating Advertising Space

1. Logo promoted on the hull of the yacht
2. Logo promoted on one (or more) of the 3 sails the booms and masts
3. Logo promoted on corporate stationery
4. Logo promoted on crew uniforms
5. Providing a link from our web site to their company
6. Testing and reviewing of sponsors products to provide feedback of usability/durability in a real life environment.
7. Personalized uniform items for Crew that will carry their company’s logo
8. The opportunity for a sponsor to come aboard and use the yacht for filming purposes i.e. for a new product launch commercial.
9. Working with our partners, in offering motivational and productivity initiatives within their company, that will offer the winner a chance to come and spend some time with Earth Reporter and the team as a SeaPacker.

INVESTORS
Like most new companies or organisations I am looking for investors. I was on target to finance this myself and over the past few years I have been financing the refit of the yacht by selling properties in Spain and painting the odd yacht here and there for the shipyard were I have my yacht. Speaking fluent Spanish helped a great deal and I was doing well and on target until a couple of companies I was working for decided to vanish and consequently 58,000 euros of my commission disappeared as well. Then in early 2006 I suffered an injury that took me out of action for the rest of the year, unable to work and finish the yacht.

I am now back on track with 3 months work left to finish the yacht but I am now left with a deficit. I am hoping that I can raise the money through a combination of selling advertising space on the yacht and a contribution from a company or individual that sees the benefit in being involved in this project.

What type of skills will potential crew and SeaPackers need to apply for a position?

First of all I would like to say that I am a firm believer in the following:
a)Skill set can be learned
b)Attitude cant

However, with passion there are no limits and while it is important that the live-aboard crew are skilled in their chosen field, personality will go a great way to making the team and its projects a success. By all accounts Blackbeard was a great sailor but would you have wanted to share a cabin with him????

• Cameraman / Woman - The ability to film above and below the water a clear advantage
• Producer / Director
• Editor
• Marine biologist

Previous experience in any one of the fields mentioned is preferred but not essential. There are a lot of talented people that have been to film school / college who I am sure have the skills needed for this project and they, like me, are looking for the opportunity to express their skills and passion for such an expedition. Second language will be a great benefit to the team as we will be traveling many different countries. The ability to work alone and as a team a member, a person that can improvise, adapt and overcome to changing environments and situations is what we’re looking for.

Most importantly they will have to dedicate at least 6 months away from their home. If they have commitments that will not permit them to commit for this period then this voyage is not for them as the first year is very important in the establishing the expedition and its aims and goals

They should be healthy and of a normal standard of fitness, on acceptance as a crew member they will need to undergo a medical.

SeaPackers
They will come from all walks of life, nationalities, creed, colour and professional backgrounds. Sailing experience is an advantage but not essential. Any experience in alternative living will be an advantage, anyone that has been involved in voluntary work, and most importantly people that understand the importance of a team spirit

I could go on and on about the type of people I would like to be involved but anybody that applies to be a part of this expedition will be asked to send a video CV as well as a written CV.

Q. Having support for this expedition is essential to making it happen and it being a success. What will getting the support mean to you personally and what will it mean on the widerscale (e.g. for the environment, education, wildlife, people and any individual or organization that is directly involved in the project)?

On a personal level it will mean that the mental, physical and financial sacrifices I have made would have been worth it. All these years of keeping my dream alive would have come to life and it will mark the beginning of how I want to spend the rest of my days.

Speaking about the environment I think that each and every one of us should do more for the environment and not leave it up to governments to come up with the answer, because if we do we are doomed. I feel the key to saving ourselves and the planet, the animal kingdom and countless innocent bystanders from ourselves is education. We must change our ways, or face the collapse of the ocean world…and life on this planet as we know it. If our expedition can contribute to a better understanding and bring about change then I will feel I have done something worthwhile. There are so many stories out there that are not being told but they do need to be told.

Being able to offer advertising space on the yacht to companies, organizations or individuals that are in many ways fighting the forces that be to promote their greener products or services, I feel I can help them by promoting them on a global scale and at a fraction of the cost that they currently spend on their annual advertising budgets.

Q. Do you have a wish list of things that you need before you set sail and also during the expedition? If so now is the time to tell us.

Never been one for wishing Vicky but now you ask yeah I have a list.

I find myself completely alone in my endeavor to get this project of the ground.

I have sent untold letters seeking advice support assistance and sponsorship to many organizations and have been given the cold shoulder with many of them, not even having the common decency to reply to me and every one of them on their web sites’ company profile has stated that they are promoting change and would like to hear from people with new and unique ideas.

This has not deterred me at all, but made me more determined as I would rather look at the opportunity in every difficulty rather than the difficulty in every opportunity.

As a person that has been around the world a few times I am a firm believer that there are only to types of people “those that say, and those that do” unfortunately I have found that there are a lot more people that say.

1. First priority is to find the crew that will make the production team
2. To meet the people / companies /organization that want to do and not say
3. To find someone that will finance the website and our own Internet TV Station that will cover this expedition
4. To find the right sponsors that will help the expedition in way of finances needed
5. To find the people that will come up with the art work for the painting of the yacht
6. To find summer volunteers who can help with the boat - electricians, carpenters etc - food and accomodation support provided.
7. To meet anyone that feels they have something to offer that will help the expedition

If I can just fulfill those few things I am sure that everything else will fall into place

Q. David, is there anything else you would like to tell us about ocean life and your passion for it?

“THE OCEAN”, living on it and traveling on it that’s me in a nut shell, I mean what’s not to love?

What I love the most is that it’s filled with life, from the top to the bottom. It’s like diving into the history of life, to dive into the ocean.

But times are changing!! And man is doing a great job in destroying the Ocean and all life that depends on a clean ocean, (which is basically every living organism on the planet).

FINALLY - Name the Yacht!

Although David calls his Yacht ‘Earth Reporter’ he hasn’t officially named her or the production company yet. He’s looking for your inspiration and ideas to help him come to a final decision. I bet lots of you have some great ideas out there. Let us know!

If any of you would like to contact David, either to ask more questions, offer him support and send your good wishes you can contact him on keepdreaming360@yahoo.com, make a comment on this post or contact us.

Visit David’s Making Green Waves myspace page at www.myspace.com/154608260
Don’t forget to tell anyone you know who might be interested in David’s expedition and documentaries.

All of the above text and images is the intellectual copyright of David Pike.

responsibletravel.com is proud to announce the launch of the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards 2007

The annual Responsible Tourism Awards - founded by responsibletravel.com in 2004 to celebrate responsible tourism businesses around the world - look set to be bigger and better than ever this year making it even more important that we receive your nomination for the organisation you think is doing the most for responsible tourism.

By nominating you will not only be making a positive contribution to responsible tourism, but will also be entered in our holiday prize draw to win a trip to Nepal or Uganda …

We’re all on tenterhooks as we wait to be flooded with news of new and exciting responsible tourism holidays - along with many old favourites of course - from travellers just like you scouring the globe for worthy and wonderful winners to celebrate at the 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards which launched in The Times on Saturday 28 April.

This year we’re hoping to rival the record result of 2006 when over 1200 nominations were received from the travelling public. We love finding out about new places doing great things or old friends doing new things but perhaps not shouting about them as they should be - which is where you come in of course!

You are The Nominator

Responsible Tourism is all about making better places for people to live in and better places for people to visit. It’s about minimising the negative impacts and maximising the positive ones.

It’s about improving the wellbeing of local people through tourism and enabling the visitor to have a better relationship with them, putting something back to conserve their culture or environment and enjoying a more authentic holiday.

But what do you think is important?

We have 13 categories to choose from for your nominations. Alongside regulars such as Best Tour Operator and Best for Poverty Reduction, the search is on for 2007 for the Best Low Carbon Transport and/or Technology initiative and the tourism organisation doing the most for the Conservation of Cultural Heritage. So get your thinking caps on!

You can make your nominations at our dedicated Responsible Tourism Awards website. You don’t need to put forward a nomination for every category - just tick the box to let us know which category your nomination is for (only 1 category per nomination) and tell us why you think that particular tourism related organisation is responsible and deserving of an Award.

Win a holiday for 2 to Uganda or Nepal!

And don’t forget, your motives for nominating don’t have to be entirely altruistic! Tell us about an excellent example of a responsible tourism holiday and you could be heading off on one yourself thanks to our annual Responsible Tourism Awards Win a Holiday competition. This year we have two amazing prizes generously donated by i-to-i and The Adventure Company.

Nominate a winner and you could be packing up your troubles and trekking off on a 14 day tour of Uganda for 2 people courtesy of i-to-i, taking in the legendary Bujagali Falls, the stunning scenery of the Queen Elizabeth National Park and the chance to teach English to local children in the remote village of Niyakasiru.

Your tour ends with a relaxing stay in the natural paradise that is the Ssese Islands.

Or you could bag the perfect prize trip for a first visit to the kingdom of Nepal thanks to The Adventure Company. Starting in Kathmandu, this 19 day tour for 2 people sees you cycling through medieval streets to Swayumbhunath.

Then on to Pokhara for a 7-day trek deep into the foothills of the Himalayas discovering villages whose way of life has gone unchanged for centuries.

White water rafting on the Seti River will get the adrenaline pumping before finishing your trip with a jungle safari through one of Asia’s greatest wildlife reserves.

There’s no chance of winning either prize, however, if you don’t nominate! But worry not, as this year we’ve made it even easier for you to nominate with an online form to make sure you don’t forget any of those important details.

And if you’re struggling to choose between that cool community lodge in Lesotho, the tour operator whose practical approach to responsible tourism blew you away, or even a business hotel that was spot on when it came to energy efficiency and water conservation, stop struggling right now!

You can nominate as many tourism organisations and companies as you like.

Remember, all it takes is one nomination for your responsible tourism hero to be considered for the Awards.

The better your reasons for nominating your chosen tourism organisation, the more chance they will have of getting through to the next stage of the judging process and potentially winning an Award - and you winning a holiday!

About the Awards

The Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards are the biggest and best of their kind in the world, a collaboration between our team at responsibletravel.com who founded and organise the Awards, our UK media partners, The Times and Geographical Magazine, and World Travel Market who host the presentation event, which will this year be held at the first ever WTM World Responsible Tourism Day.

The guiding principle behind the Awards is that all types of tourism – from niche to mainstream – can and should be operated in a way that respects and benefits destinations and local people.

The Responsible Tourism Awards are different from other tourism awards in that winners are nominated by you, the traveller. Now into their fourth year, we are absolutely thrilled to see how the Awards have developed since we first launched them in 2004.

Competition to win a Responsible Tourism Award is more and more fiercely fought each year as the reputation of the Awards has grown alongside travellers’ awareness of the issues affecting communities and the environment in tourism destinations around the world.

Last year’s winners ranged from a community rail initiative in Norfolk helping to keep cars off country roads, to a community lodge in Northern Kenya working to eradicate Trachoma, a cause of painful blindness in over 80% of adults in the area.

Find out more about our 2006 winners in the Responsible Tourism Awards brochure and nominate now to help us find our 2007 winners!

Deadline for nominations Monday 2 July

The Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards are the largest of their kind in the world.

They are a collaboration between our team at online travel agent responsibletravel.com who organise the Awards, UK media partners, The Times and Geographical Magazine, and The World Travel Market who host the presentation event - this year at the first ever WTM World Responsible Tourism Day.

The guiding principle of the Awards is that all types of tourism – from niche to mainstream – can and should be operated in a way that respects and benefits destinations and local people.

The Awards are different from other tourism Awards in that winners are nominated by tourists. In 2006 we received over 1200 nominations! You can read about last year’s winners in the 2006 Awards Brochure.

I won’t say anymore right now except to tell you to get yourself a copy of The Times (if you’re in the UK) this Saturday for the launch of the Awards in the Travel section.  The whole of the Travel supplement will be dedicated to responsible tourism and you can find out how to nominate your best responsible tourism holiday and even how to win a holiday yourself!

I’ll be back with more after the launch…

Happy travelling!

Katie
responsibletravel.com