Community Benefit Award

This award is for a tourism initiative that has effectively demonstrated direct benefits to local people, including capacity building, the transfer of industry skills, and support for community development.

Finalists in this category must show:

• a positive contribution to cultural heritage,
• a commitment to capacity building required for Travel & Tourism in destination areas, including fair wages,
• opportunities for local community input and empowerment on tourism development planning,
• and training and educational opportunities that result in economic and social benefits for local communities, including career advancement.

Finalists should be able to demonstrate how local people in the destination can become stakeholders and partners in the sustainable tourism efforts and/or in developing their own business.