Hilton has announced an initial investment of USD 1 million to promote sustainable travel and tourism in Africa focusing on five key areas: Youth Opportunity, Water Stewardship, Anti-Human Trafficking, Local Sourcing and Protecting Wildlife.
Read more: Hilton Launches 'Big Five' for Sustainable Tourism in Africa
The state forest department of Gujarat has confirmed that 21 Asiatic lions died in September alone.
Read more: Forest department confirms death of 7 more lions in Gir forest
SIEM REAP, Cambodia, Sept. 26, 2018: The owners of Song Saa Private Island, Cambodia's first luxury coastal resort, renown internationally for its commitment to the environment and social sustainability -- today announced the launch of a new project, centred in the Cambodian province of Siem Reap: the Song Saa Reserve. Building on the knowledge and success of Song Saa Private Island and its sister NGO, the Song Saa Foundation, the Song Saa Reserve seeks to fulfil Rory and Melita Hunter's vision of creating a commercially successful, ethically led integrated resort: a place where all luxury tourism blends effortlessly with initiatives that restore and improve the local natural and human environment.
26 September 2018, London: Tourism Concern, the UK-based non-governmental organisation advocating ethical tourism (see our interview with past director Mark Watson) has suddenly announced today that it is closing following a 'unanimous' decision by trustees, due to financial reasons.
This is the message sent to its subscribers, which also appears on the Tourism Concern website:
"Following a report from our Treasurer, the trustees of Tourism Concern have taken the difficult decision to close the charity. The vote was unanimous.
The charity has struggled financially for a number of years and cut costs to the barest minimum but despite the best efforts of talented executive directors and generations of enthusiastic and committed trustees, the battle for financial survival has been lost. Funding from charitable foundations, which sustained us in the past, is no longer available in these difficult times and income from membership fees has not been sufficient to allow Tourism Concern to pursue its charitable aims as the trustees would like. The trustees were determined that Tourism Concern should not become a zombie charity, raising money simply to exist.
ST. GEORGE’S, GRENADA – September 18, 2018: Grenada has made a major shift to ensure that its natural environment is protected and preserved for future generations. The Government of Grenada has implemented a far-reaching Non-Biodegradable Waste Control Act, which began with the complete ban on the importation of polystyrene commonly referred to as ‘Styrofoam’ effective September 1, 2018.
The importation ban will be followed by sale sanctions on ‘Styrofoam’ effective March 1, 2019, and a complete embargo on its use a month later. The Act will also bar all single-use plastics such as shopping bags, cutlery, plates, straws and cups by February 1, 2019.
September 13, 2018 – The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is pleased to announce that Vireo Srl has achieved the ‘GSTC-Accredited’ status. Achieving the GSTC-Accredited status means that a certification program is following processes and procedures that have been reviewed and approved by the GSTC Accreditation Panel and by ASI (Accreditation Services International), GSTC’s partner in managing the accreditation process, in order to provide an independent and trustworthy qualification of the GSTC-Accredited certification body.
4 September 2019 (London): Today, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) calls on Travel & Tourism organisations to showcase their achievements by entering in the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards 2019. Since the beginning of the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards under WTTC, there have been approximately 2,450 applicants from over 50 countries, 186 finalists, and 62 winners who have demonstrated economic, environmental, and social & cultural benefits from best practices in sustainable tourism.
Drenthe, Netherlands/Thessaloniki, Greece, 31 August 2018: In the build-up to the fourth European Week of Sport this September, two teams of recreational, volunteer cyclists will ride their bikes from Drenthe, the Netherlands, and Thessaloniki, Greece, to Vienna, Austria, to raise awareness about the benefits of active transport and physical activity for health, the environment and social inclusion. The cross-border tour is called Bike for Europe and runs from 1-23 September through 11 countries.
San Francisco, CA - As Carnival Corporation’s first ships of the season arrive in the Arctic, an international coalition of environmental groups has joined together to call on the cruise giant to stop using one of the world’s cheapest and dirtiest fossil fuels—heavy fuel oil—on ships traveling in the fragile Arctic and sub-Arctic waters. July marks the beginning of Arctic cruise season, and the cruise ship Rotterdam has just arrived in the Arctic. Rotterdam is operated by Holland America, which is owned by Carnival. With cruises in this fragile ecosystem scheduled to grow in frequency, companies like Carnival must change their fuel source to stop destroying the very climates their passengers are going to see.
Madrid, Spain, 14 August 2018 – Promoting innovation, job creation and sustainability are key considerations for the 15th World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Awards. UNWTO invites submissions until 31 October 2018.
The UNWTO Awards recognise the contribution of public and private institutions and NGOs to development of a more competitive, responsible and sustainable tourism sector that works towards achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda of the United Nations. Initiatives at local, national, regional and international levels are all considered.