Three local tourism enterprises, two organisations and the National Trust have been nominated by the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce for the Caribbean Tourism Organisation’s sustainable tourism awards. All nominees, including finalists and special mention awardees for each category will be invited (at their own expense) to the CTO 14th Annual Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development where a special function to present the awards to the winners will be held.
A release from the Government Information Agency (GINA) said that the 2013 STC-14 conference will be hosted by Trinidad and Tobago from April 15-18, under the theme “Keeping the right balance: Enhancing destination sustainability through products, partnerships, and profitability.”
Karanambu Lodge (Rupununi) was nominated for the Excellence in Sustainable Tourism Award, the Guyana Marine Turtle Conservation Society for the Biodiversity Conservation Award, Aranaputa community tourism (Rupununi), for the Community Benefit Award, Atta Rainforest Lodge (at the Iwokrama Canopy walkway) for the Sustain-able Accommodation Award and the National Trust for the Heritage Protection Award. Conservation International (CI) Guyana was nominated for the recently announced sixth award, the Destination Stewardship Award.
GINA said that acting Tourism Minister Irfaan Ali, is confident of victory given the potency of the Guyanese eco-tourism product.
Guyana hosted the CTO conference (STC13) last year and won three of the five sustainable tourism awards. The Rupununi region won the 2012 Caribbean Excellence in Sustainable Tourism Award; the Community Benefit Award was presented to the Iwokrama International Centre and the Guyana’s Mangrove Reserve Women Producers’ Project received the Biodiversity Award.