Changemakers in Europe with a replicable and innovative story are being sought to share their stories by entering the Europe Responsible Tourism Awards, sponsored by easyJet holidays.
The call for entries was announced during the Responsible Tourism day at the ITB trade show in Berlin on 6 March. This is the first time there will be a dedicated Europe regional award in the highly respected awards programme which has been running for twenty years. Entry is free to encourage the widest possible range of examples of responsible tourism. The six award categories for 2025 include responsible all-inclusives, adapting to climate change, increasing local sourcing, encouraging peace understanding and inclusivity, managing waste and delivering nature positive tourism.
Scott Lawson, easyJet holidays’ senior ESG manager, announced the awards at ITB in Berlin and said: “We have sponsored these awards in order to shine a light on best practice across Europe and to inspire faster change, as our industry could greatly benefit from the brilliant ideas and innovation we see across the continent being shared more widely. We look forward to hearing about the cutting-edge activity that will help us all to improve.”
The Responsible Tourism Awards are run by the non-profit the International Centre for Responsible Tourism global (ICRT global) and Debbie Hindle chair and member of the judging panel said: “Our awards highlight the travel and tourism sector’s commitment to minimising negative impacts and maximising positive contributions The judges look for evidence of impact, replicability, innovation, influencing others, longevity and an overall commitment to responsible tourism which will inform and inspire others.”
The Europe Responsible Tourism Awards sponsored by easyJet holidays are open for entry until 23 May 2025. Shortlisted finalists will be announced in July and the winners will be announced in autumn. A free webinar to explain how to win an award will be held in late April.
Gold winners of the regional awards run in Europe, Latin America, Africa, the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia will automatically qualify to contend for the Global Responsible Tourism Awards, sponsored by Sabre which are announced in October.
Application forms and judging criteria can be obtained via 2025 Responsible Tourism Awards – ICRT GLOBAL
Editors’ notes.
The International Centre for Responsible Tourism global is a not-for-profit organisation focused on supporting responsible tourism education in universities and colleges, delivering online training, and sharing knowledge. It supports the work and activity of an ICRT network based in Latin America, Europe, West Africa, Southern Africa, India, Sri Lanka and South East Asia.
The six awards for 2025 are as follows:
1. CAN AN ALL-INCLUSIVE BE RESPONSIBLE?
All-inclusive holidays and resorts are widely criticised, but other all-inclusive travel experiences are not. There are all-inclusive safaris in Africa, many in national parks, yacht charters in the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and the Americas, and all-inclusive cruises. There are all-inclusive holidays for the disabled and their families too. The criticism often appears to be tinged with disdain, dismissed as an inferior form of tourism denying economic opportunities to local businesses and delivering a third-best experience for those who book them, unless, of course, it is a luxury all-inclusive. They remain popular, a Disneyland Resort offers “a dream trip … that fits your family’s preferences and budget.”
With mounting concern about the impacts of overtourism on the guest experience and on local communities, are there all-inclusives that contribute to reducing negative impacts and enhancing the positive?
2. ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE
The consequences of climate change are increasingly evident in storms and floods, drought and wildfires, and rising sea levels. We need to make more rapid progress in reducing emissions. Our burning of fossil fuels in the sector and our supply chains is contributing to generating global warming. Businesses need to continue to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, not least because of the risks of stricter regulation likely to follow as people’s lives are impacted by extreme weather. In Valencia over 100,000 protested, demanding the resignation of the head of the regional administration “chanting ‘we are stained with mud, you are stained with blood’”. In common with other sectors, we now need to reduce our carbon emissions and protect our businesses and the destinations on which our sector depends against climate change. This year, we are broadening this award category to include both mitigation and adaptation.
We are looking for businesses and destinations actively contributing to the decarbonisation of tourism operations and exploring innovative ways to protect against threats to ensure business continuity.
3. INCREASING LOCAL SOURCING – CREATING SHARED VALUE
As one of the world’s leading consumption sectors, tourism provides many economic benefits, including employment and business opportunities. Far too often, the money does not recirculate in the local economy or provide any benefit to the local people or environment. Tourism businesses can grow the local economy by spending on local goods and services and procuring services and products locally.
We are looking for businesses that have local purchasing practices in place and are actively working to create and promote local businesses and sole traders through their own supply chain and encouraging visitors to buy locally produced crafts and souvenirs.
4. PEACE, UNDERSTANDING and INCLUSIVITY
Are we, in the words of the 2022 Responsible Tourism Charter, providing tourists with the opportunities to make “more meaningful connections with local people and a greater understanding of local history and culture, and social and environmental issues” and/or offering “culturally sensitive experiences engendering respect between tourists and hosts, and building local pride and confidence.”
We are looking for businesses, destinations, and organisations that are actively working to: encourage cultural dialogue and understanding; break down barriers through responsible tourism; support communities in post-conflict or marginalised areas; offer sustainable tourism as a means of economic resilience; champion accessibility and inclusion, ensuring travel experiences are open to all, regardless of ability, background, or identity.
5. MANAGING WASTE: REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE, UPCYCLE
Our businesses and supply chains produce waste; often, our guests bring it with them and “give it” to us. They leave it behind for us to deal with. This year, we want to discover examples of good practice. We all know the mantra of reduce, reuse, recycle, upcycle. The challenge is to do it. We are looking for proven practical examples of how our sector can reduce waste and particularly where it can be used to create value in the community or be sequestered, providing use or commercial value.
6. NATURE POSITIVE
Wildlife and the natural environment are important drivers for travel. The travel and tourism sector depends on nature’s beauty to provide its goods and services, yet tourism can negatively impact the places we visit. The tourism sector has a responsibility to contribute to the reversal of biodiversity loss and protect nature for future generations by promoting a regenerative approach to tourism. We are looking for businesses that act as guardians of biodiversity and take a regenerative approach to their operations.
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