The sixth annual Skål International Ecotourism Award ceremony took place this week in Turkey, and eco-friendly businesses from India, Ecuador and Fiji gained the honors.
Skål was founded as an international association in 1934 is the largest organization of travel and tourism professionals in the world. To encourage the conservation of the environment and help to promote the development of responsible and sustainable tourism, Skål initiated an awards program in 2002, during the United Nation’s Year of Ecotourism.
The entrants were judged on criteria such as: contribution to the conservation of nature and cultural heritage, community involvement, educational features, business viability and innovation.
Winners included Fiji’s Aqua-Trek, who gained the best tour operator award for their commitment to protecting Fiji’s reefs and marine parks; Ecuador’s Ecovita Organic Camping, who won in the cities and villages category, and the New Dehli based Uppal’s Orchid eco-hotel, which won the best urban accommodation award.
One of the most innovative winner’s was the Marari Beach Resort near Cochin in India, where environment comes first, but accommodation is still luxurious. The private cottages, some with their own pool, are modeled on traditional Indian fishermens’ dwellings, complete with palm thatch roofs – ideal for letting sea breezes in during the day, but keeping the heat in at night.
The resort gardens and lawns are chemical free, thanks to fertilizer created from food waste compost and natural oils and local remedies which control pests – and the majority of the fruit and vegetables served in the restaurant come from these organic gardens. Rather than just eat from the gardens, however, guests are also welcome to get involved and help harvest the produce. Other food, including seafood is bought directly from the local community, and curries are served with a traditional fisherman’s spoon – made from a Jackfruit leaf.
The resort is a great example of how tourism can work together with the environment rather than damaging it, and it would seem they are worthy winners of their best rural accommodation award.
