AWARDS & CERTIFICATION PROGRAM
We invite destinations around the world to join the program to assess sustainability performance, and apply for global recognition in case sufficient levels of sustainability is achieved.
INTRODUCTION TO THE PROGRAM
Two types of recognition exist:
Full Certification and Pre-certification Awards
Awards recognize excellence in the primary aspects connected to destination’s quality offer to travellers. Awards recognise excellence in one or several of the following aspects:
Destinations can apply for the following Awards
QualityCoast Awards
Especially for seaside and waterfront destinations. Specific attention is given to waterfronts, beach management and bathing water quality.
Green Destinations Awards
For any type of destination
These programmes use four different Award levels: Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum.
The Awards are presented at our annual Global Green Destinations Days conference and our yearly ITB Berlin event. These events provide our destinations international exposure and publicity opportunities about their sustainability achievements.
Certification through the Green Destinations Standard is the ultimate level of global recognition for destination quality and sustainable destination management.
Destinations that are in full compliance with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) Recognised Green Destinations Standard, will become Green Destinations Certified.
Find more information in the detailed processes and procedures for achieving GD Certification.
INTERESTED?
First step is to submit the Awards & Certification Programme Registration Form
Klemen Langus,who has been the director of Turizem Bohinj Board for many years, continuously strives to put sustainable and environmental development at the core of all activities in tourism. Under his leadership Turizem Bohinj has created a comprehensive sustainable tourism model, which bases on local economy and prioritising local people.
Mrs. Jačan Obratov has a journalism degree from the Zagreb University Faculty of Political Science. Her career in tourism began at the Head office of the Croatian Tourist National Board where she still works. From 2000 to 2002 she was Head of the Information Department and between 2002 and 2013, Head of the Communications and Publishing Department. She ran the Destination Support Department until March 2016 when she was appointed Director of Destination Management and Product Development Support Division. Through years of working in the publishing and production fields, Slavija and her team put through numerous projects that the Croatian National Tourist Board received recognition and awards. Mrs. Jačan Obratov was editor-in-chief of the oldest Croatian international interdisciplinary journal “Tourism“ between 2003 and 2013.
Master of Economic Sciences with many years of experience in the fields of business management, projects, marketing, tourism development at the national level and management of tourist destinations at the local level, also co-designer of the national project Green Scheme of Slovenian Tourism. Currently is managing the tourist destination Miren Kras, which in 2019 received the golden sign of the Slovenian Green Destination and is ranked among the 6 most sustainable Slovenian destinations.
Carla Chandra is the Deputy Director of the Guyana Tourism Authority, with the responsibility for product development and promotion of Guyana as a leading sustainable destination. She was born and spent her childhood in a remote indigenous community in Guyana called Kamarang, and has seen how tourism has positively impacted communities focused on tourism. With over 15 years of experience in the Travel and Tourism Industry and a great love for her country, Carla has a strong drive to contribute towards the development of Guyana and knows that sustainable tourism is the way to do that.
Fiskars Village, founded in 1649, is famous for long traditions of craftsmanship. It has plenty to offer in terms of modern design and art. Exhibitions, the museum, as well numerous performing art, slow food and outdoor events provide interesting experiences throughout the year.
Public Institution “Priroda” is responsible for managing protected areas and NATURA 2000 sites in the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County through inventorying, evaluating, monitoring and supervision of protected natural areas, participating in the execution of international agreements on nature protection and implementation of European legislations and EU Directives related to the protection of natural values. In order to preserve griffon vultures, a strictly protected bird species on the basis of Croatian legislation, the Institution established the new Beli Visitor and Rescue Centre for Griffon Vultures, which is the only registered griffon vulture rescue center in the Republic of Croatia.
Lidija Srnec is working in Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service in Zagreb. She graduated from the Department of Geophysics and Meteorology at the University of Zagreb. In 2010 she finished Postgraduate Study of Natural Sciences. In DHMZ she is working in Climate Modelling, Climate Change Monitoring and Biometeorology Division. Her work is mainly in regional climate change filed and biometeorology.
The manager of the destination Bison Land. One of her loves is the tourism, since the highschool, but also with the region where she is coming from. She was studding tourism and project management and now she is one of the ones looking forward to develop the region Bison Land, the home land.
José Romana is head of the Nature and Biodiversity division at Cascais Ambiente, with a degree in Landscape Architecture at the University of Algarve and a postgraduate degree in Management from ISEG – Lisbon School of Economics and Management. He is responsible for managing the teams of territorial planning , environmental monitoring and maintenance of natural spaces, under the management of Cascais Ambiente.
The Blue World Institute (BWI) has worked on Lošinj Island for 20 years monitoring the resident bottlenose dolphin community and promoting their conservation. In the last five years, the BWI has developed a dolphin-watching programme designed to set industry standards as this protected species has become seen more as a tourism resource than an integral part of the environment. The exponential growth of dolphin-watching in Croatia places these animals at risk, the need for a mandatory code of conduct and licencing issued by the Ministry of Tourism would help to protect these animals and protect responsible operators working in the region. International recommendations exist and should be adopted in Croatia.
Pekka Alhojärvi is the representative of Green Destinations in Finland.
Carlos Bernardes is Mayor of Torres Vedras, a municipality in the Portuguese district of Lisbon, since 2015, he is also “Quality Coast” Ambassador, “Green Destinations” Ambassador, and member of the Political Advisory Committee of the CIVITAS Initiative. He holds a PhD in Tourism by the Institute of Geography and Spatial Planning, University of Lisbon, and a degree in Tourism and Hospitality Business Management by the Polytechnic Institute of the West. He has participated in several conferences, seminars, workshops and courses related to tourism, environment, sustainability and mobility, among other areas.
Maja Rešić is Head of Department for General relations in Public Institution Nature Park Lastovo islands. She has been on this position for 3 years. Public Institution Nature Park Lastovo islands is a marine protected area that has been managing the area since 2006. Consisting of 42 islands, islets and reefs and a geographical position, presents a challenge in management and preservation.