Puerto Rico cops top CTO Sustainable Tourism Award ~ Caribbean Excellence in Sustainable Tourism Awards presented at State of the Industry Conference in US Virgin Islands

CHARLOTTE AMALIE, St. Thomas (18 September, 2014) – The Puerto Rico Tourism Company (PRTC) has won the Caribbean Tourism Organization’ top sustainable tourism award, the Caribbean Excellence in Sustainable Tourism (CEST) Award, presented in collaboration with the online community for the travel and tourism industry, TravelMole.

This award is presented to a destination or tourism-related company in recognition of excellence in planning and managing a diversified tourism product using sustainable tourism concepts and core values.

Six forward-thinking sustainable tourism initiatives in the Caribbean were presented with awards at a ceremony during the State of the Industry Conference (SOTIC) at the Marriott Frenchman’s Reef and Morning Star Resort.

“We started these awards to give our partners endorsements they can share with potential visitors so they can garner more business. There are persons keen on keeping their carbon footprint at a minimum during travel and through our award designations these properties and attractions can be easily identified,” said Gail Henry, the CTO’s sustainable tourism product specialist.

“Sustainable tourism initiatives like the ones being rewarded today do more than ensure the longevity of Caribbean tourism, they also increase the region’s global competitiveness,” she added.

The awards comprised six categories covering all aspects of sustainability, from overall excellence, to accommodation, community, heritage and biodiversity. They were judged by a panel of three tourism and environmental specialists: Lloyd Gardener, the president of the Foundation for Development Planning Inc. in the USVI; Jake Kheel, the environmental director at Puntacana Resort & Club in the Dominican Republic and Gail Henry.

The full roster of recipients below signifies the diverse range of sustainable initiatives working in the Caribbean’s favour to enhance its desirability as a holiday destination:

Destination Stewardship Award:

• Special Mention: Rewa Village (Guyana)
• Winner: Ministry of Tourism and International Transport (St. Kitts & Nevis)

Sustainable Accommodation Award:

• Special Mention: Rosalie Bay Resort (Dominica) and Xanadu Island Resort (Belize)
• Winner: Hamanasi Adventure and Dive Resort (Belize)

Community Benefit Award:

• Special Mention: Tryall Club and Villas (Jamaica)
• Winner: Belmont Plantation Company/Belmont Estate (Grenada)

Heritage Preservation:

• Special Mention: Turks and Caicos National Trust (TCI)
• Winner: Jost Van Dykes Preservation Society (BVI)

Biodiversity Conservation Award:

• Special Mention: Atlantis Submarines (Barbados)
• Winner: Guana Island Hotel (BVI)

Caribbean Excellence in Sustainable Tourism Award:

• Special Mention: Compass Point Dive Resort (Cayman Islands)
• Winner: Puerto Rico Tourism Company

The CTO/TravelMole awards are aimed at identifying, recognizing and showcasing sustainable tourism best practices in the Caribbean, which embrace sustainable tourism concepts and core values, and which helps to enhance the tourism product offerings.

About TravelMole

TravelMole.com is the first online community for the Travel and Tourism Industry, established in 1998. Today TravelMole.com and TravelMole.TV publishes 15 eNewsletters and broadcasts hundreds of videos to over 450,000 travel & tourism industry professional registered members and subscribers, as well as 30 million consumers in 132 countries. This includes the highly acclaimed VISION on Sustainable Tourism publication

About the Caribbean Tourism Organization

The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), with headquarters in Barbados and offices in New York and London, is the Caribbean’s tourism development agency comprising membership of over 30 countries and territories including Dutch, English, French and Spanish, as well as a myriad of private sector allied members. The CTO’s vision is to position the Caribbean as the most desirable, year round, warm weather destination, and its purpose is Leading Sustainable Tourism – One Sea, One Voice, One Caribbean.

Among the benefits to its members the organization provides specialized support and technical assistance in sustainable tourism development, marketing, communications, advocacy, human resource development, event planning & execution and research & information technology.

In addition the CTO, in partnership with the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association, jointly and equally owns the Caribbean Tourism Development Company, a marketing and business development entity dedicated to promoting the Caribbean brand worldwide.

The CTO’s Headquarters is located at Baobab Tower, Warrens, St. Michael, Barbados BB 22026; Tel: (246) 427-5242; Fax: (246) 429-3065; E-mail: [email protected]

The CTO’s New York office is located at 80 Broad St., Suite 3302, New York, NY 10004, USA: Tel: (212) 635-9530; Fax: (212) 635-9511; E-mail: [email protected]

The CTO’s London office is located at The Quadrant, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1BP, England. Tel: 011 44 208 948 0057; Fax: 011 44 208 948 0067; E-mail: [email protected]

For more information on the Caribbean Tourism Organization please visit www.OneCaribbean.org

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