This week’s British Youth Travel Award for ‘Green Tourism’
went to the much delighted responsible tour operator G.A.P. Adventures.
The award was designed to honour businesses, striving for a maximized
positive effect on the localities in which they operate. Participants
either qualified through actual innovations in the field or evident
improvements since the previous year.
The awards were organised by The British Educational Travel Association
(BETA), whose founder Jack Coronna himself gained an award for ‘Outstanding
Contribution to Youth Tourism’. The not-for-profit trade association
recognises and celebrates the accomplishments of individuals and organisations
servicing the travelling youth, embracing small businesses as well
as significant names, such as STA Travel.
If Coronna is right, the year 2008, an apparent time of trial for
the travel industry, may actually bear great potential for new initiatives
and opportunities.
TNT Magazine travel editor Amy Adams supports his argument by calling
attention to this year’s contestant’s high standard, Green
Tourism nominee’s in particular, a link she says to the strength
of the industry at the present time.
Tobias Ellwood, who is the Keynote Tourism Minister and was central
speaker at the British Youth Travel Awards, very much approves of
the educational travel sector, which encourages tourism to the UK.
The structure UK tourism is given by the government however is in
need, so he judges, of a shift of responsibility from departments,
such as Home Office and the department of Transport towards the Tourism
Minister and the departments of Media, Culture and Sport.
Not only is a total of € 109 billion generated annually by youth
travel, but an immense increase in social values accompanies personal
and professional development opportunities. As BETA Executive Director
Emma English envisions, Youth travel hence represents the future of
the UK tourism industry.
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