WSTHA calls on sustainable travel pioneers to enter inaugural programme

Mon 29 April 2024

World Sustainable Travel & Hospitality Awards (WSTHA) is calling on pioneers in sustainable travel to gain recognition for their work by entering its inaugural programme before 24 May.

Individuals and organisations across the globe accelerating change and making an impactful contribution to net positive tourism are invited to enter for free, with three weeks left before the 24 May closing deadline.

21 categories have been selected by an Advisory Board of experts to reflect the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and net positive framework of People, Planet, Place, Prosperity and Partnerships.

Global voting, open to travel and tourism professionals, will run from 14 June to 2 August.

Leaders in sustainable travel will be invited to attend the inaugural WSTHA Gala Ceremony in Belize, the Official Host Destination, on 27 September when the winners will be revealed.

Key Dates:

Entry deadline                                                         24 May

Nominations revealed & global voting beings    14 June

Voting closes                                                           2 August

Gala Ceremony, Belize                                           27 September

Justin Cooke, Executive Vice-President, WSTHA says: “Entries for the inaugural WSTHA close in three weeks. We welcome entries from across the sustainable travel and hospitality sector, with our goal to recognise and tell the stories of those accelerating change and making a sustainable impact on our planet for the next generation.”

As Official Host Destination of WSTHA 2024, Belize holds responsible tourism at its core and develops projects that encourage travellers to engage with its rainforests, reefs and unique culture in a sustainable manner.

Anthony Mahler, Minister of Tourism, Belize, says: “We encourage individuals, organisations and responsible travel advocates to share their stories and initiatives, highlighting how they are leading the way and making encouraging strides to a better future.”

The WSTHA programme is run in partnership with the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance whose donor members and members represent over 50,000 hotels, 7 million rooms globally, 270 brands and 40+ supply chain and strategic partners.

To enter the 2024 WSTHA programme visit here.

Notes to Editors

About World Sustainable Travel & Hospitality Awards

Launched in 2023 at COP 28 in Dubai on World Tourism Day, The World Sustainable Travel & Hospitality Awards serves to recognise, celebrate, and share the stories of individuals and organisations that are accelerating change and making an impactful contribution in sustainable travel and tourism.

About the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance

The Sustainable Hospitality Alliance brings together engaged hospitality companies and the wider hospitality value chain, along with strategic partners, to address key challenges affecting the planet, people and places around the world.

About the Belize Tourism Board

The Belize Tourism Board (BTB) is a statutory body within the Belize Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, and it is governed by a Board of Directors appointed by the Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation. The BTB works in conjunction with members of the private sector - including the Belize Hotel Association, Belize Tourism Industry Association, and Belize National Tour Operators Association - and is dedicated to building tourism in the most economically and environmentally sustainable manner. As a part of its responsibilities, the BTB promotes Belize as a premier tourism destination for both in-country and international consumers. Among its outreach to the international travel market, the BTB markets the country's unique attractions to travellers, members of the travel trade industry, and media outlets in key markets. The BTB is also dedicated to developing and implementing tourism programs that will help strengthen and grow the Belizean tourism industry; promote good destination stewardship; and instil high-quality standards for accommodations and travel experiences. For more information on the BTB and its services, visit www.travelbelize.org.