Publish date: 08.02.2010 12:01 |
Author: Naslovna strana
In 2003 the World Travel and Tourism Council established the prestigious Tourism for Tomorrow Awards recognising best practice in sustainable tourism in four different categories - Destination Stewardship, Conservation, Community Benefit and Global Tourism Business. Over 160 entries were received this year from 45 countries, and 3 final nominations were shortlisted in each category.
The 12 finalists this year were selected by an international team of independent tourism experts from Australia, USA, Mexico, Denmark, Kenya, Uganda, India, Malaysia and China.
Montenegrin Ministry of Tourism won the nomination in the Destination Stewardship category and was shortlisted among the three finalists in the tough competition with countries like Denmark and New Zealand.
Previous winners in the same category over the past years include: Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, USA, 2008, famous marine park with over 2 million visitors a year; Great Barrier Reef, Australia, 2007, Jurassic Coast, UK, 2006 and Sierra Gorda in Mexico in 2005.
In addition to the Ministry of Tourism of Montenegro, the 2010 finalists in this category are Botswana Tourism Board and Mount Huangshan Scenic Site in China, which inspired James Cameron, the director, for Avatar.
This award goes to a destination - country, region, state or town - which comprises a network of tourism enterprises and organisations that show dedication to and success in maintaining a programme of sustainable tourism management at the destination level, incorporating social, cultural, environmental and economic aspects as well as multi-stakeholder engagement.
Montenegro applied with the project of integral development of the country as a single destination following the principles of ecology and sustainability, intensively developed for ten years already, based on the principles set up by the National Sustainable Development Strategy with Tourism Development Strategy by 2020 and the Government and the Ministry of Tourisms policy as its integral part.
The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) is the business leaders forum for travel & tourism. With chief executives of more than 100 of the worlds leading companies in membership (including: InterContinental Hotels Group, Mandarin Oriental Group, Marriot International, Hilton Worldwide, Lufthansa, Emirates Airlines & Group, TUI Germany, Carlsson, American Express Company, Beijing Tourism Group, Espirito Santo Tourism, Dubailand, Grupo Santander Brazil, Indian Hotels Company, IBM, Radisson Edwardian Hotels, TAP Portugal etc.), WTTC has a unique mandate and overview on all matters related to success in travel & tourism.
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Given that WTTC undertakes substantial activities to promote all the finalists via the global media, this nomination implies maximum promotion of Montenegro as a tourism destination at the international market.
The Ministry of Tourism sees this nomination as recognition to Montenegro and the Ministry for all the results so far and firm commitment to sustainable destination development in the upcoming period, critical for the advance of the world tourism now at the crossroads. Moreover, shortlisting itself will give an additional impetus to strategic investors worldwide to invest in tourism resources Montenegro has, both down at the south, and up north, in the hilly country.
More information: Brief overview of the nominated project
Montenegro Wild Beauty: Ecology by Nature - Development of a tourism destination which is ecological by nature requires constant stewardship.
Nature conservation practiced for over 100 years served as a basis for ecological constitutional charter of Montenegro; the significant share of pristine and wild areas of Europe located in Montenegro calls for good stewardship. The area of 237,899 ha are under international designation, which together with 100,000 ha of old national parks, makes up 20 percent of the total territory of the country of 13,812 km2 in size.
By his ordinance, King Nikola proclaimed the first nature reserve in Montenegro in 1878 and set the basis for approach to management and stewardship of natural resources of Montenegro. In 1952 the Government established the first three national parks. In 1983 the fourth national park was proclaimed, to be followed this year by the fifth. Meanwhile, in 1977, UNESCO included Tara River in the list of world biosphere reserves, and in 1979 and 1980, respectively two sites were listed as world heritage: Kotor on the coast, and National Park Durmitor and Tara River in the north.
In 1991 the Parliament confirmed and embraced the vision of Montenegro developing as an ecological state. The existence of an ecological state by nature became the policy promoted from the highest level. The ecological state and ecology by nature require from the national and local governments, the local population, international community, investors and developers constant adoption of a number of values which are crucial if we wish to see the enlightened and consistent behaviour supportive of environmental protection and enabling sustainable future of Montenegro.
In 2001, Montenegro set up the Sustainable Development Office. The same year the Government adopted the Master Plan for Sustainable Tourism Development, transferring the responsibility for implementation of policies onto the inter-ministerial council, the private sector and various stakeholders in tourism industry.
In 2002 the National Tourism Organisation launched the Wild Beauty as the destination brand embracing what is Montenegro recognised by: the beauty of natural environment.
In 2004 Government adopted the Strategic Framework for Sustainable Tourism Development in the Northern and Central Region as a roadmap for the Wild Beauty development. This supported the increase in tourism revenues and living standards of the local population, without jeopardy to natural and cultural assets.
In 2006 Tourism Development Master Plan was revised, and over the coming two years management was enhanced through the integrated approach to provision of tourism services country-wide involving a number of stakeholders. Tourism Development Strategy by 2020, adopted by the Parliament in 2008, became a comprehensive plan for sustainable development in line with greater environmental and social awareness about global travellers that Montenegro mostly aspires to entice.
Approaching global tourism economy constitutes further guidance and constant commitment to protect the exceptional biodiversity, natural beauties and Montenegrin multiethnic society heritage.
The project continues to be supported by the combination of Government resources, EU funds and private investments, as well as tourism taxes, and recently (as of 2008) also from the eco-tax revenues.
Source: PR SERVICE MINISTRY OF TOURISM
