Costas Christ

Chairman of Judges, Tourism for Tomorrow Awards, USA

Costas Christ is one of the world's leading sustainable tourism experts, whose work and travels have taken him to more than 125 countries across six continents.

He is also the Editor at Large for National Geographic Traveler, where his travel column focuses on sustainability and tourism issues around the world. In addition, Costas serves as Director of Sustainability for the Virtuoso global travel network. His articles and essays on travel and tourism have appeared in many leading publications, including the New York Times, International Herald Tribune and Sunday Times of London. He is one of the pioneers of ecotourism, helping to officially define the term and serving as both a founding member and former Chairman of The International Ecotourism Society. Costas has appeared on Travel Channel, Good Morning America, Fox News, CNN International, BBC World, and National Public Radio, among others, to discuss sustainable tourism trends and developments.

He is the founder and CEO of Beyond Green Travel LLC, an international sustainable tourism consultancy firm that provides advice and services to travel companies, governments, and national tourism boards. He is a special adviser to non profit travel organizations, including the Spirit of Big Five Foundation, The Bodhi Tree Foundation, and The Travel Corporation Conservation Foundation. A dynamic keynote speaker, Costas has also been recognized as a 'Tourism Visionary' by the International Restaurant and Hotel Awards.

He has served as the Chairman of Judges for the WTTC Tourism for Tomorrow Awards since 2004, having helped WTTC to establish the Awards as a global standard in sustainable tourism best practice, based upon internationally recognized sustainability criteria and on site evaluations of all finalists.