The Tourism of Tomorrow Awards are dedicated to recognizing and celebrating tourism companies and destinations that have made significant contributions to sustainability and responsible travel. These awards honor organizations that integrate sustainable practices into their core operations, promoting environmentally friendly, socially responsible, and culturally sensitive tourism experiences. This methodology outlines the comprehensive evaluation process used to assess companies’ sustainability performance across various dimensions relevant to the tourism industry.

Comprehensive Assessment Criteria

The evaluation process employs a robust set of criteria designed to cover a wide range of environmental, social, cultural, and governance (ESG) aspects pertinent to tourism businesses and destinations. By utilizing a detailed and multifaceted set of assessment criteria, the methodology ensures a holistic evaluation of organizations’ efforts to promote sustainability in travel and tourism.

Key Sustainability Criteria

The assessment encompasses a thorough evaluation based on the following key sustainability criteria:

1. Environmental Impact

   • Sustainable Operations: Evaluating the environmental footprint of tourism operations, including accommodations, transportation, activities, and services. Assessing efforts to reduce energy and water consumption, minimize waste, and implement sustainable resource management practices.

   • Conservation and Biodiversity: Assessing initiatives to protect and enhance natural environments, including conservation programs, habitat restoration, and support for protected areas and wildlife.

   • Carbon Footprint Reduction: Evaluating efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the use of renewable energy sources, energy-efficient technologies, and carbon offset programs.

   • Pollution Prevention: Assessing measures taken to prevent pollution, including waste management, wastewater treatment, and reduction of single-use plastics.

2. Social Responsibility

   • Community Engagement and Development: Evaluating how tourism activities benefit local communities, including job creation, support for local businesses, and community development projects.

   • Cultural Preservation: Assessing efforts to respect and preserve local cultures, traditions, and heritage, including promoting cultural exchange, supporting local artisans, and avoiding cultural exploitation.

   • Employee Relations: Evaluating commitment to fair labor practices, providing safe working conditions, fair wages, opportunities for training and advancement, and promoting diversity and inclusion within the workforce.

   • Accessible and Inclusive Tourism: Assessing initiatives to make tourism experiences accessible to all, including individuals with disabilities, and promoting inclusivity regardless of age, gender, or socioeconomic status.

3. Cultural Sensitivity and Ethical Practices

   • Responsible Tourism Practices: Evaluating adherence to ethical guidelines that respect local customs, minimize negative social impacts, and promote positive interactions between tourists and host communities.

   • Human Rights and Ethical Conduct: Assessing policies and practices that protect human rights, prevent exploitation, and ensure that tourism activities do not contribute to negative social outcomes.

   • Visitor Education: Evaluating efforts to educate tourists about responsible behavior, environmental conservation, and cultural sensitivity.

4. Innovation and Sustainable Solutions

   • Sustainable Product Development: Recognizing companies that develop innovative tourism products or services that enhance sustainability, such as eco-friendly accommodations, sustainable tours, and community-based tourism initiatives.

   • Technology Integration: Assessing the use of technology to improve sustainability, such as apps for reducing energy consumption, platforms promoting responsible travel choices, and systems for monitoring environmental impact.

   • Promotion of Sustainable Destinations: Evaluating efforts to market and promote destinations in a way that balances economic benefits with environmental and social sustainability.

5. Governance and Ethical Business Practices

   • Transparency and Reporting: Evaluating the transparency of organizations in disclosing their sustainability practices, goals, and performance through sustainability reports and public disclosures.

   • Corporate Governance: Assessing the effectiveness of governance structures in promoting sustainability, including leadership commitment, policies, and integration of sustainability into corporate strategies.

   • Risk Management: Evaluating processes for identifying and managing environmental, social, and cultural risks associated with tourism operations.

   • Compliance with Standards: Assessing adherence to relevant environmental regulations, industry standards, and certifications (e.g., GSTC Criteria, ISO 14001) that demonstrate a commitment to sustainable practices.

6. Supply Chain Sustainability

   • Responsible Procurement: Evaluating policies for sourcing goods and services sustainably, including support for local suppliers, fair trade products, and environmentally friendly materials.

   • Partner Engagement: Assessing collaboration with partners and suppliers to promote sustainability throughout the supply chain, including training, capacity building, and setting sustainability requirements.

   • Traceability and Transparency: Evaluating efforts to provide transparency about the origin of products and services offered to guests.

7. Continuous Improvement

   • Sustainability Goals and Targets: Assessing the establishment of clear sustainability objectives and performance targets aligned with global frameworks like the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

   • Monitoring and Reporting: Evaluating systems for tracking progress toward sustainability goals, including the use of key performance indicators (KPIs) and regular reporting.

   • Adaptation and Innovation: Recognizing organizations that continuously seek to improve their sustainability performance through innovation, embracing new technologies, and adapting to emerging sustainability challenges.

Detailed Evaluation Process

Definition of Sustainability Goals and Criteria

• Alignment with Core Values and Global Standards: Organizations define specific sustainability goals that align with their mission and comply with international guidelines and best practices in sustainable tourism.

• Focus Areas: Goals may include environmental conservation, cultural preservation, community development, responsible visitor management, and enhancing economic viability.

Baseline Assessment

• Initial Performance Analysis: Organizations conduct an assessment of current sustainability performance, including environmental impacts, social contributions, cultural impacts, and governance practices.

• Opportunity Identification: The baseline assessment identifies strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement in sustainability performance.

Development of a Sustainability Plan

• Strategic Framework: Organizations develop a sustainability plan outlining strategies, initiatives, and actions to enhance sustainability performance, with clear timelines and responsibilities.

• Stakeholder Involvement: The plan considers input from stakeholders, including local communities, employees, guests, suppliers, and government entities.

Implementation of Sustainability Initiatives

• Execution of Strategies: Organizations implement initiatives such as energy and water conservation measures, waste reduction programs, community engagement activities, cultural preservation projects, and training programs for staff and partners.

• Resource Commitment: Allocating necessary resources, including budget, personnel, and technology, to ensure successful implementation.

Monitoring and Measuring Progress

• Performance Metrics: Establishing KPIs related to environmental impact, social contributions, cultural preservation, and governance practices to measure progress.

• Data Management: Implementing systems for data collection, analysis, and reporting to track performance over time.

• Reporting and Communication: Regularly communicating progress to stakeholders through sustainability reports, updates, and other communication channels.

Continuous Improvement

• Performance Review: Regularly reviewing performance against goals and benchmarks, identifying areas for further improvement.

• Innovation and Adaptation: Encouraging a culture of innovation to find new solutions to sustainability challenges and adapting strategies as needed.

• Stakeholder Feedback: Actively seeking and incorporating feedback from stakeholders to enhance sustainability initiatives.

Recognition Criteria

To be recognized as a Tourism of Tomorrow award winner, an organization must demonstrate significant achievements in the areas outlined above, though it is not necessary to excel in all criteria. Organizations that showcase exceptional innovation, make substantial impacts on sustainability in tourism, and exhibit a strong commitment to continuous improvement are particularly esteemed. In cases where multiple organizations are contenders for the same category, preference is given to those that meet a larger number of criteria and display leadership in driving sustainable tourism practices.

Our Commitment to Authenticity

At the Tourism of Tomorrow Awards, we are committed to upholding principles of integrity, transparency, and ethical conduct throughout the evaluation process. Our mission is to promote sustainability in the tourism industry by recognizing organizations that make genuine and impactful contributions to environmental preservation, social responsibility, cultural sensitivity, and ethical governance.

• Expertise and Insight: Our evaluation panel consists of experts in sustainable tourism, environmental conservation, cultural heritage, and ethical business practices, ensuring a thorough and fair assessment.

• Sourcing, Reliability, and Accuracy: We prioritize accurate and actionable assessments based on credible, up-to-date information from reputable sources, highlighting diverse perspectives, including those of local communities and indigenous peoples.

• Transparency and Amendments: We maintain openness in our processes and regularly update our methodology to reflect the latest developments in sustainable tourism and stakeholder feedback.

• Independence and Neutrality: Our evaluations are conducted independently of external influences, ensuring that recognition is based solely on merit and adherence to our criteria.

Advancing Sustainability

We embrace the philosophy of “progress over perfection,” recognizing that the journey toward sustainability is ongoing. Our goals are to:

• Support and Celebrate Sustainable Practices: Recognizing organizations and initiatives that make meaningful efforts toward sustainability, regardless of their size or market presence.

• Avoid Greenwashing: Ensuring that all recognized efforts are genuine, substantiated, and contribute to real environmental, social, and cultural benefits.

• Promote Inclusivity and Adaptability: Understanding that sustainability solutions can vary widely and being open to adapting our criteria based on emerging best practices, stakeholder input, and cultural contexts.

Engagement and Community Input

We believe in the power of collaboration and value feedback from all stakeholders. We encourage open dialogue and welcome insights from travelers, industry experts, local communities, NGOs, and government agencies to refine our methodology and enhance the impact of the Tourism of Tomorrow Awards.

Conclusion

The Tourism of Tomorrow Awards aim to inspire and motivate tourism organizations to integrate sustainability into their business models, operations, and guest experiences. By providing a comprehensive and transparent evaluation methodology, we seek to drive innovation, promote ethical practices, and contribute to the global efforts toward sustainable development.

Through these awards, we celebrate organizations that are leading the way in making tourism more sustainable, culturally respectful, and socially responsible, acknowledging their contributions, and encouraging others to follow their example. Together, we can transform the tourism industry to support a healthier planet, preserve cultural heritage, and foster equitable societies for all.