Europe Award Winners

Hotels taking responsibility to connect with local communities, circular economy pioneers, biodiversity champions, a peace building tour operator, and innovative trail networks are among the winners of the inaugural Europe Responsible Tourism Award sponsored by easyJet holidays.

Winners announced at the Press Club Brussels Europe on 16 October in partnership with Travel Tomorrow all showed outstanding leadership in six categories including local sourcing and creating shared value, waste management, nature positive tourism, peace and inclusion, climate adaptation and resilience and responsible all-inclusives.

Chair of the judges and emeritus professor Harold Goodwin and founder of The International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT global) said: “The Responsible Tourism Awards shine a light on innovative, replicable ideas being created by changemakers around the world. I’m pleased to say our 2025 Europe winners show practical, measurable and inspiring examples of what is possible when those involved take responsibility for the people and places they operate in.”

Matt Callaghan, chief operating officer at easyJet holidays, which also took part in the judging said: “We’re proud to support the Europe Responsible Tourism Awards. At easyJet holidays, we believe travel should be a force for good but we also recognise that tackling the challenges our industry faces requires collaboration. That’s why we value learning from each other, and why we’re celebrating the incredible work of this year’s winners. They’re setting the standard for what responsible tourism can look like, not just for travellers, but for local communities and the planet too.”

The 2025 Europe Responsible Tourism Award winners are:

Local Sourcing and Creating Shared Value Responsible Tourism Awards

Gold: Delphina Hotels & Resorts, Sardinia
Delphina operates 12 hotels and 6 spas across Sardinia, with a “Genuine Local Food Oriented®” initiative that sources 76% of food and beverage from 128 Sardinian suppliers Its Selezione Delphina collection showcases local food, wine, cosmetics, and crafts, curated by the founders and a master chef. Judges applauded its commitment and storytelling approach, connecting guests to producers and traditions.

Silver: Emotional Sicily, Italy
Emotional Sicily rejected tourism models in Sicily which bypass local communities.  It offers deep engagement with local communities and heritage by co-creating travel experiences with more than 150 artisans, guides, chefs, and artists. Judges praised its place-based model and philosophy that “Responsible Tourism is not a checklist but a mindset.” Emotional Sicily lifts up all partners involved and sets an inspiring example that others can learn from.

One to Watch: Six Senses Ibiza, Spain
Six Senses Ibiza created a community learning centre to preserve local knowledge and foster dialogue. It offers workshops, farming activities, gastronomy events, and environmental programmes. In 2024, 250 people participated in pilot programmes, with plans to double that in 2025. Judges praised its community-first approach and replicable model.

Managing Waste Responsible Tourism Awards

Silver: Liberty Fabay, Turkey
Liberty Fabay is a five-star resort in Fethiye, Turkey, with a robust waste reduction strategy. In 2024, it cut 5.97 tons of paper, 10.05 tons of glass, 1.2 tons of metal, and 10.73 tons of plastic. It plans to convert organic waste into animal feed in partnership with the local community. Judges applauded its clear metrics and thorough processes.

Silver: Skiathos Palace, Greece
Skiathos Palace has embedded circular thinking into its operations. Over 70% of beverages are in returnable glass bottles, 80% of beer is draft, and single-use plastics have been eliminated. Instead of replacing furniture, the hotel refurbished its lounge using local craftsmen. Judges praised its supply chain engagement and practical steps to reduce waste, calling it a strong example of resource-conscious hospitality.

One to Watch: Swatchloop, Turkey
Swatchloop tackles hotel-generated textile waste through a fully traceable circular system. In partnership with a coastal resort, it recovered 4,082 kg of towels, linens, and uniforms — 79% recycled and the rest upcycled by women-led enterprises. Judges called it a highly innovative model with potential to scale across the sector.

Nature Positive Responsible Tourism Awards

Gold: Naturetrek, UK
Naturetrek  is a specialist wildlife tour operator which will celebrate its fortieth anniversary in 2026 and offers hundreds of expert-led tours. The judges felt that Naturetrek stood out because of its long-term strategy of using its own profits to buy land reserves to protect nature. At its Macchietelle Reserve in Italy for example, fruit trees have been planted to support the Marscian Brown Bear, the Apenine wolf is protected, wetlands are being restored and the landscape rewilded.

Silver: Brabant Partners, Netherlands
Brabant Partners leads the MONA project to manage the increasing volume of nature-based tourism in North Brabant. It tackles congestion and pollution through sustainable transport, inclusive route planning, and behavioural nudging. Its Wandelstarter platform offers interactive maps with route info, parking, and facilities. Judges praised its measurable impact and scalability, calling it a strong initiative for managing tourism pressure in natural areas.

One to Watch: Animondial, Global
Animondial’s NATOUR IMPACT is an online tool helping travel businesses assess nature-related risks and impacts and guiding them towards meeting the environmental commitment to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2020. The tool simplifies complex evaluations, educates users, and guides them toward Nature Positive Tourism. Judges were impressed by early tour operator feedback and its ambition to become a global benchmark for nature-positive transformation.

Peace, understanding and inclusion Responsible Tourism Awards

Gold: MEJDI Tours, Global
MEJDI Tours is a socially conscious travel company that uses tourism as a tool for peacebuilding, cultural understanding, and economic justice. It designs immersive, multi-narrative journeys led by local voices, often from opposing perspectives. Its “dual narrative” model, pioneered in Israel and Palestine, allows travellers to hear guides from both populations side by side. Now operating in 40+ countries, MEJDI fosters empathy, intercultural dialogue, and social impact. A study showed 83% of travellers reported shifts in attitudes or behaviours. Judges called MEJDI an inspiring and world-leading example of how tourism can contribute to peace.

Silver: Costa Navarino, Greece
Costa Navarino is a luxury destination in Messinia, Greece, founded to protect heritage and empower the local community. It has invested €11 million in infrastructure and contributes 11% to regional GDP. Judges highlighted its inclusive offerings  from wheelchair sand cruises to gender-neutral facilities and culturally inclusive amenities. Costa Navarino shows how luxury tourism can be inclusive, locally rooted, and economically transformative.

Silver: Via Transilvanica, Romania
Via Transilvanica is a 1,600 km long-distance trail that traverses Romania’s cultural, historical, and natural landscapes. Developed and managed by Tășuleasa Social Association with the help of over 20,000 volunteers, it connects more than 400 communities, many of which are rural, depopulated and underserved. Between 2023 and 2024, accommodation options along the route increased from 123 to 322, supported by the trail’s growing popularity. Judges praised its community regeneration, cultural storytelling, and economic impact.

Adapting to climate change Responsible Tourism Awards

Silver: Barut Hemera, Turkey
Barut Hemera is a beachfront resort in Side, Antalya which is the first and only hotel in Turkey to fully eliminate plastic water bottles, replacing them with inhouse water dispensers; preventing the use of 1 million bottles annually. It also reuses wastewater for irrigation and solar energy power has saved 4.5 million tons of carbon emissions. Food waste has been reduced by 18%. Judges praised its self-funded pilot programmes and replicable model, showing what’s possible when climate responsibility is embedded in operations.

Responsible All-Inclusives Responsible Tourism Awards

Gold: Club Marvy, Turkey
Club Marvy is a 303-room resort in Özdere, Turkey, which demonstrates an award-winning level of integration with local communities. It spent nearly $4 million on local sourcing in 2024, including produce from women’s cooperatives and operates its own organic farm, mills oil and has a production workshop where local women can create crafts for sale. In partnership with local government it opened a daycare centre, to help local women join the workforce and 63% of female staff are now local. The judges said this is a clear demonstration of how responsibly an all-inclusive hotel can operate, when it works to source locally and maximise local employment.

Silver: Castelli Hotel, Greece
Castelli Hotel is a family-run, adult-only retreat in Zakynthos, Greece, which was built around the island’s oldest eucalyptus tree – the owners reduced planned room numbers to preserve it. It champions local sourcing, offering homegrown olive oil, locally produced wine, and a shop filled with regional goods. Guests are invited to connect with the locale through olive picking, cooking classes, and regular talks from an NGO. Judges said Castelli’s Hotel is an exemplary example of a resort immersing itself in nature and communicating clearly with guests.

All gold winners of the Europe Responsible Tourism Awards now go onto contend for a Global Responsible Tourism Award sponsored by Sabre which will be announced on 3 November 2025.

The judges of the Europe Responsible Tourism Awards sponsored by easyJet holidays were: Professor Emeritus Harold Goodwin, managing director of the Responsible Tourism Partnership and founder of ICRT global, Danica Banjevic, tourism manager and ICRT Balkans, Martin Brackenbury, board director ICRT global, António Buscardini, founder and editor-in-chief, Travel Tomorrow, Kerry Carmichael, founder Echo, Kirsi Hyvaerinen, consultant and ICRT Balkans, Debbie Hindle chair ICRT global, Scott Lawson, senior ESG manager easyJet holidays, Vicky Smith, Earthchangers and ICRT Balkans, Caroline Warburton, Visit Scotland and director ICRT global.