• Gold Award received for outstanding support of 565 small tourism businesses in Africa and Latin America
• Silver Award for ‘Keep our Sand and Sea Plastic Free’ initiative in Cyprus
• Global Responsible Tourism Awards recognise organisations that contribute to a more responsible and sustainable tourism industry

London, 14th November 2022. Every year, WTM Responsible Tourism recognises outstanding responsible tourism practices and initiatives that inspire others across the travel and tourism industry. This year the international jury recognised the TUI Care Foundation in two categories: a Gold Award in the ‘Destinations Building Back Better Post-COVID’ category as well as a Silver Award in the “Reducing Plastic Waste in the Environment” category.

The Gold Award recognised initiatives implemented by the TUI Care Foundation in partnership with Berlin based NGO enpact which supported small, local tourism businesses during the pandemic. In total, 565 small businesses received financial support, business training and individual mentoring from tourism and business development experts. The work of the TUI Care Foundation and enpact was implemented with the support of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and German Development Agency GIZ.

Championing achievements in plastic reduction and recycling, the TUI Care Foundation also received a Silver Award for its Keep Our Sand and Sea Plastic Free project. The project is part of TUI Care Foundation’s Destination Zero Waste Programme, and is implemented in partnership with the Cyprus Sustainable Tourism Initiative and the Travel Foundation. It drives new ways to reduce and reuse waste which create jobs and promote a circular economy in Cyprus. So far, over 500,000 residents and visitors in Cyprus have been positively impacted as part of the project and two plastic-free beaches have been created. The next phase will work with 300 local businesses to drive plastic-reduction measures and will establish four more plastic free beaches.

The awards were presented at WTM London to Thomas Ellerbeck, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the TUI Care Foundation:  “All of us at the TUI Care Foundation, partners, programme participants and TUI employees - we have all been awarded and can feel honoured for the recognition of our initiatives. They emphasise that tourism can be a force for good for both the environment and communities alike. Together with our partners we are committed to continually driving positive impact in destinations around the world.”

Philippos Drousiotis, Chairman of CSTI: “We are very proud to be part of this project and work together with the TUI Care Foundation and the Travel Foundation to Keep Our Sand and Sea Plastic Free.  It is no coincidence that the idea of making beaches plastic-free is so well received, people need the tools to be part of the solution and not the problem.”