Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA), an Australian Government statutory authority, is charged with managing the Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest UNESCO-recognised World Heritage Area and one of the world's most recognisable tourism icons.
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (the Marine Park ) welcomes nearly 2 million tourists and 4.9 million recreational visitors each year.
The Marine Park tourism industry is based on the iconic status of the Great Barrier Reef . The future well-being of both the Marine Park and the tourism industry are inextricably linked - a healthy Marine Park tourism industry will always need a healthy Great Barrier Reef to present to its visitors.
The increasing realisation of this interdependence has led to the development of a strong and active partnership between the GBRMPA and the Marine Park tourism industry. This partnership directly helps achieve a well-managed and sustainable industry as well as significantly improving environmental, cultural and business outcomes in the Marine Park .

Aspen Skiing Company, USA

Aspen Skiing Company operates the four mountains in the Aspen/Snowmass area - Snowmass, Aspen Mountain , Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk, hosting 1.4 million skiers and employing 3,400 people each winter demonstrating a rare example of large scale tourism that operates on a sound environmental management plan .  Aspen Skiing Company has been internationally recognized for its pioneering environmental work. Aspen Skiing Company was the first U.S ski resort to buy wind power, use biodiesel, build certified green buildings, and certify to the ISO 14001 standard. And w ith 100 percent of its electricity use coming from renewable energy through the largest purchase of renewable energy certificates in the ski industry, Aspen has taken a major stand on global warming while educating its employees, guests and media on the urgent need to address climate change. The company has won over thirty awards for environmental programs and has been featured widely in the media, including ABC News, Fast Company, TIME, Outside and National Public Radio.  

On every count, Nihiwatu stands out as a truly exceptional island resort; it is wild, remote and makes for an amazing destination for the adventurous. 14 exotic villas and bungalows are sculpted onto the cliff's edge using thatch, bamboo and wood. Large rooms display tribal artifacts and ikat weavings, and you can relax into rattan chairs outside on the sea-facing balconies. The setting is pristine and endlessly peaceful.
Nihiwatu is the perfect romantic escape for honeymooners and couples, the resort Spa experiences are unforgettable. Excitement seekers need look no further; there is world class fishing, diving and surfing. Nearby are Stone Age sites and local villages, waterfalls and fabulous secluded beaches to explore.
Luxury is the lure at Nihiwatu, but three's a truly remarkable humanitarian story at work here. The owners camped on one of Sumba 's isolated beaches for several years with no electricity or running water while developing friendships with local people and gradually building a luxury resort that has done wonders for the health and education of the islands local communities.
Nihiwatu is the 2006 Conde' Nast Travelers "Green List" top-scoring resort, a 2006 Tatler Travel Guide "101 Best Hotels in the World", and the 2005 Responsible Tourism Awards "Best Hotel".

The Lindblad name has been synonymous with expedition excellence and responsible travel for nearly 50 years. In 1958, Lars-Eric Lindblad pioneered the style of expedition travel known by many as 'eco-tourism.' Today, Sven Olof Lindblad, his son, extends that vision through innovative expedition travel programs spanning the globe in Galapagos, Antarctica, Baja California , Alaska , the Arctic, and beyond. Lindblad Expeditions (LEX) continues to focus on sustainable and innovative tourism practices that include philanthropy, conservation, education and micro-enterprise.
The company launched the Galapagos Conservation Fund (GCF) in 1997 as an opportunity for guests to contribute directly to local conservation. The GCF has since raised more than $3.5 million, with 100% supporting local projects. More than 150 Galapagos teachers have also participated in the Teachers on Board program, designed to deepen local teachers' natural history knowledge and inspire conservation stewardship.
Sven Lindblad has received many environmental awards including the U.N. Programme Global 500 Award, and recognition from HRH, Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, for his dedication to the conservation and environmental stewardship of the Galapagos archipelago. Recently, the Seafood Choices Alliance awarded LEX the prestigious 2007 Seafood Champion Award for its "Seafood for Thought" program, promoting environmentally responsible seafood choices.
National Geographic recently formed a partnership with Lindblad Expeditions to inspire more travelers around the world to explore and care about the planet.

The Greenbox is a completely unique region and is a natural location for Ireland 's first ecotourism destination. It boasts unique ecosystems, an unspoiled landscape, centres of learning, a Geo Park and landscapes of high conservation value including Inishmurray Island.
The geographic area is surrounded by water on all sides by the Shannon Erne Waterway, Lough Erne and The Atlantic Ocean. The region, which was once overshadowed by conflict, is now one of the most peaceful places in Ireland and nine years on from a peace agreement (The Belfast Agreement 1998) the destination is in an ideal position to welcome tourists to visit.
An innovative Ecotourism accreditation scheme is being implemented by the Greenbox organisation in 2007 that aims to increase the range and quality of unique ecotourism experiences available to visitors. Fourteen accommodation centres were awarded with European Eco-Label Certification (The EU Flower) in 2006.
The Greenbox is a model of tourism partnership and brings together representatives from many national, regional and local agencies. In addition many sound environmental enterprises; ecotourism products and community initiatives fall under the Greenbox umbrella. A network of 120 businesses are working to reach these standards. The region has much to offer in the range of : health & wellness; seaweed baths; yoga retreats; organic growing and cookery to the design and building of environmentally sustainable buildings.
The Greenbox is committed to providing guidance, network support, training, strategic focus, marketing intelligence and assistance, branding, certification, and a capital aid programme to assist small eco businesses.

State of Vermont, USA

Vermont visitors and residents have a growing appreciation for the unique local businesses, historic architecture, rich cultural and social activities, and strong sense of community found in the state's downtowns. With help from the Vermont Downtown Program, aggressive local revitalization programs are now in place in all of the state's major downtowns.
Building on each community's history and historic buildings, these local efforts have demonstrated how revitalization of their communities builds the local economy and cultural institutions, while supporting growth in a way that minimize environmental impacts.  The attractiveness of Vermont 's downtowns and villages is widely recognized as a key part of the state's allure to visitors from around the globe.   
The Vermont Downtown Program was established in 1994 to provide technical assistance and training to communities and help cities and towns develop skills and strategies for their downtown revitalization efforts. The program is an affiliate of the National Main Street Center , a division of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which has worked in more than 1,900 communities nationwide revitalizing and redeveloping "Main Streets."

Aqua-Trek is committed to protecting sharks and creating a model for conservation and sustainable tourism that can be applied around the world.
Over-fishing of sharks is a global problem which cannot be solved by solely outlawing the destructive practices. There is a crucial need to replace the lost income with a sustainable option. In Fiji , tourism has been the answer and Aqua-Trek's Shark Dive offers a unique tourist attraction with increasing worldwide recognition.
Aqua-Trek's Fiji Shark Conservation and Sustainable Tourism Program encompasses several interlinked aspects that have been instrumental in the conservation of sharks on a local and global level. The program aims to educate people about the importance of protecting this threatened marine species whose role is vital to our ecosystem.
In addition to conservation and education, the project provides income to local villages; preserves the cultural heritage of the indigenous people; provides Fiji with a successful sustainable tourism enterprise; and creates an unparalleled opportunity to study sharks in their natural environment.
Aqua-Trek's program embraces the community as an agency in the management of its natural resources and allows them to realize the sustainable economic benefit. Conserving sharks has now become a common goal for both Aqua-Trek and the community.

The Caiman Ecological Refuge (CER) is located in Brazil , Mato Grosso do Sul State , in the Pantanal, the world's largest wetland. It consists of a working cattle ranch, of 132.000 acres, where since 1987 the owner started a sustainable development program, aiming to promote the conservation of the area.
CER objective consists of a tripod of interdependent goals: cattle breeding, Wildlife Conservation and Ecotourism, all in harmony, supplying jobs for 150 locals and conserving over 380 species of birds and 60 of mammals. The Pantanal is favorable for cattle ranching with minimal impact to nature as it is a natural open grassland. These conditions and the existence of vast properties in the region give support for both domestic and wild animals, allowing also the preservation of the local flora.
The ecotourism aims to educate the visitors on this unique ecosystem and the culture of the local pantaneiros. Tours are conducted by bilingual naturalist leaders and local guides, who add a lot of native knowledge of the area to the experience. Among the several activities travelers can also experience three conservation projects, which protects endangered animals such as the Hyacinth Macaw, the Blue-fronted Parrot and the Jaguar.

10 Knots Development Corporation / El Nido Resorts, Philippines

Since 1981, Ten Knots Development Corporation / El Nido Resorts have balanced up-scale resort operations with environmental conservation and meaningful employment and economic opportunities for the local community.   Located among the forested limestone cliffs on Miniloc and Lagen Islands in the Marine Protected Area within El Nido, Palawan , Philippines , resort operations are designed to train and promote individuals from the surrounding villages and towns.  Ten Knots supports livelihood projects through partnerships and in-house workshops.  Education and training programs are conducted for locals in massage therapy, food and beverage, housekeeping, kitchen and nature guiding in order to build skill sets to achieve the international standards required by El Nido Resorts. Women's cooperatives supplement household income by supplying the Resorts with hand-woven bags/slippers made of native materials.  By providing worthwhile employment and tangible economic benefits to individuals, Ten Knots/El Nido Resorts allow Filipinos to stay in their home country and share their world-renowned hospitality with the global traveler.

Sunderbans Jungle Camp, India

Sunderbans Jungle Camp is a community tourism initiative supported by WWF-India(West Bengal State Office),Department of Forests-Government of West Bengal, Association for Conservation and Tourism(ACT)-a non-profit organization, Bali Eco Development Committee,Villagers of Bali island.The demonstration model was implemented by HelpTourism and is run jointly by Help Tourism and Bali Nature & Wildlife Conservation Society.
The Sunderbans are located in the world's largest river delta in the Bay of Bengal. They are protected Wildlife Sanctuary, Tiger Reserve, National Park, Biosphere Reserve, and since 1987 they are declared a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO. The vast mangrove forest with its rich variety of flora and fauna had attracted fishermen, hunters and honey- and wood collectors for ages. Tigers with distinct amphibian behavioural patterns roam the area and men-animal conflicts were frequent.
To flank conservation effort and to offer an alternative livelihood, in 2002 the Sunderbans Jungle Camp was established with the support of the Indian tour operator Help Tourism. The Camp adjoins a small agricultural settlement, embedded between river and paddy fields. The construction follows traditional patterns and widely uses local materials. The camp consists of six bungalows grouped around an amply fishing pond. Several guided excursions and boat trips to the National Park and the nearby villages can be arranged according to the visitors' preferences. Today the camp is run by local people almost independently. Local social projects, e.g. an evening school, free medical camps, book- and garment banks and scholarships are supported with revenue from tourism.

Six Senses Resorts & Spas is a development and management company of luxury resorts and spas under the master brands of Soneva, Evason and Six Senses Spas; currently with nine resorts in operation and four more to open in 2007, 14 spas and 2,500 employees under guidance of Six Senses.
Sustainability is integrated into all aspects of the business in a way that covers the full spectrum of CSR, from integration with core operations to responsible philanthropy deeply ingrained in the core purpose: To create innovative and enriching experiences in a sustainable environment. Six Senses' well articulated sustainability policy is 'commitment to sustainable environment through the mission exclusively devoted to protecting nature and the environment with the effort to reducing the environmental and social impacts of our activities'.
Six Senses' sustainability programmes - known as Social and Environment Conscience - are both comprehensive and systematic, with the mission on four intervention programmes.

•  Holistic Environmental Management Programme (HEMP)
•  Social and Environmental Responsibility Fund (SERF)
•  Environmental Awareness and Capacity Development
•  Corporate Partnership Programme

Wilderness Safaris has been in operation since 1983, first as a mobile safari company in Botswana and later including camps and concessions in neighbouring countries. Today, together with a rejuvenated mobile safari business, the company markets and operates more than 50 camps in 7 southern African countries and is the custodian of nearly 2.5 million hectares of prime wildlife land. Throughout this period Wilderness Safaris has first and foremost been a conservation company with a nature-based tourism business. Recognising that conservation is as much about people as about the environment, the company has pursued important goals through its Children in the Wilderness programme, as well as through the Wilderness Safaris Wildlife Trust, that have helped change the face of nature-based tourism in southern Africa. In order to achieve its conservation goals and maintain a sustainable business Wilderness Safaris creates journeys and experiences for discerning globally caring travellers. Wilderness Safaris firmly believes that its single most important achievement to date is to have built a sustainable business model that does not compromise environmental principles and which provides jobs, training, skills, careers, adjusted horizons, hope and a realistic alternative to less sustainable development.