Melo Villareal
Guests and participants from all over the world will witness rites to award the winners in the AEN (Asian Ecotourism Network) International Ecotourism Awards; these are aimed at recognizing best practices in ecotourism that works at conserving the environment while aiming at socially and economically sustaining the well being of the local people.
The global selection is one of the highlights of the world’s first International Ecotourism Travel Mart (IETM), which takes place in Silang, Cavite, Philippines, from March 29 to April 2, 2023.
Finalists under nine categories were announced last December in Seville, Spain, during Global Sustainable Tourism Council ( GSTC) conference on December 12, 2022, and spearheaded by Masaru Takayama, chairman of the AEN.
AEN is a co-organizer of the IETM and the Silang-based International School on Sustainable Tourism. AEN is the Asian initiative of the Global Ecotourism Network based in Costa Rica.
The Philippines’ Ten Knots Development Corp., which owns and operates the Palawan resort El Nido and the Lio Tourism Estate, are finalists in three categories.
Finalists for the category Destination Governance are South Korea’s Ulsan Metropolitan City and Taiwan’s North East and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area Administration; for Sustainable Building are Sukau Rainforest Lodge in Malaysia and Howard Restor Xitou in Taiwan; for Community Benefit are Sukao Rainforest Lodge, Feynan Ecolodge in Jordan, Wando County, and Gudeuljangnon Conservation Council, South Korea; for Climate Action are Ulsan Metropolitan City and Feynan Ecolodge; and for Biodiversity Conservation are Ten Knots Group in the Philippines, Taehwa River Ecotourism Association in South Korea.
Finalist for the category Waste Management is the Lio Tourism Estate in the Philippines, and for Ecotourism Promotion are Ten Knots Group, and Japan National Tourism Organization; for Environment Leadership are Taiwan Ecotourism Association and Jejy Ecotourism Association in South Korea; for Innovative Ecotourism are Wando County and Gudeuljangnon Conservation Council, Taiwan Ecotourism Association and Toucheng Leisure Hotel in Taiwan; and for Community Champion, the Wando County and Gudeuljangnon Conservation Council.
IETM program and activities include the following: buyers and sellers mart for ecotourism packages and related services; exhibition of ecotourism, green technology, and environment-management and conservation-related programs, services and a marketplace to buy beautiful green and sustainable products from different regions; and a two-day forum that covers the A- to-Zs of ecotourism.
IETM will have over 21 countries participating. It is now accepting participant registrations online with early bird rates until January 15.
More details available on its website www.internationalecotourismtravelmart.com.
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