This year’s IAGTO Awards will for the first time recognize properties for their efforts in nature conservation, efficient use of resources and community engagement.
The 14th annual awards presented by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO) will this year for the first time include recognition of golf destinations and resorts for their sustainability efforts, the London-based organization announced, according to TravelDailyNews.com
To begin this year’s awards ceremony on November 14 at Tarragona Placa De Tores, in Costa Daurada, Spain, three Sustainability Awards will be made in the categories of Nature Conservation, Efficient Use of Resources and Community Engagement, TravelDailyNews.com reported. An overall winner will then be announced for a property that has demonstrated excellence in sustainability across the board.
The awards event will have an audience of 1,000 golf tourism professionals from more than 60 countries, TravelDailyNews.com reported.
The announcement of the new awards is an outgrowth of a new strategic partnership created in 2012 between IAGTO and the Golf Environment Organization (GEO), TravelDailyNews.com reported.
“Our GEO-partnered Sustainability Awards represent such an important development for IAGTO because it allows us, for the first time, both to celebrate the outstanding achievements that so many of our member golf courses have made in terms of environmental sustainability and social responsibility and to encourage every tourism-related course to do even more,” said Peter Walton, IAGTO’s chief executive.
Added Jonathan Smith, chief executive of the Golf Environment Organization: “The results of our collaboration with IAGTO are already tangible, even within the span of 12 short months. Sixty IAGTO golf courses have participated in our OnCourse program this year, which provides them with support and expertise to record and develop sustainability at all levels.
“We were hugely impressed by the myriad efforts that IAGTO courses have been undertaking to look after the environment and engage with their local communities,” Smith added. “These awards highlight some of the most significant achievements, and showcase a much wider commitment and contribution across the industry. We look forward to working closely with IAGTO and members to bring sustainability right to the heart of the future profitability and image of golf tourism in the future.”
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