WTM World Responsible Tourism Day Moves Mountains!

Few will ever manage to scale the towering heights of Mount Everest – the summit of the world. Even fewer will fail five times… and come back for more.

But that’s just what Gavin Bate, managing director of Adventure Alternative, who finally got to the top of the world’s highest mountain – complete with a WTM World Responsible Tourism Day poster to help spread the word.

Gavin has been a keen supporter of WTM World Responsible Tourism Day since it was launched five years ago to educate, motivate and inspire travel companies to engage in year-round responsible tourism activity

Gavin, aged 45, came within 250m of the summit on each of his last five attempts to conquer Everest. But recently he achieved his goal.

“By getting to the top of Everest, Gavin has joined an extremely elite international club of climbers”, said Fiona Jeffery, chairman of World Travel Market and pioneer of responsible tourism.

“But by promoting WTM World Responsible Tourism Day at the summit, he demonstrated that responsible tourism is indeed scaling new heights.

“Gavin is among a growing band of enthusiastic industry professionals who are helping to make WTM World Responsible Tourism Day into a global phenomenon. Responsible tourism is becoming an essential part of a company’s strategic direction.”

A programme of presentations, debates, seminars and a networking reception is spread over three days at World Travel Market in London this year, although the main focus is on the actual day, Wednesday 9 November.

Of his feat to reach the top of Everest, Gavin said: “It was an amazing feeling. You can see the curvature of the Earth; the sky is black because you can see space.

“Your brain can’t quite compute the height that you’re at.

“You’re just beside yourself with emotion.
The Search is on for the Best of Responsible Tourism

World Travel Market, the leading global event for the travel industry, is helping search for the most inspiring and innovative examples of responsible tourism throughout the world.

The hunt is part of the nominations process for the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards 2011, founded by responsibletravel.com and sponsoring partner World Travel Market.

Deadline for nominations was Friday 17 June.

The award winners will be revealed immediately after WTM World Responsible Tourism Day’s opening ceremony on Wednesday 9 November at ExCeL London.

The day marks the world’s most ambitious movement to educate, motivate and encourage the international industry to make a year-round contribution to more responsible tourism. The award presentation is followed by a challenging program of presentations, seminars and debate, concluding with a Networking Reception.

Thousands of delegates that week and other industry professionals across the world will mark the day of action with special events, press conferences, trade fairs, promotions and family entertainment.

Fiona Jeffery, chairman of World Travel Market and pioneer of responsible tourism is one of the judging panel.

She said: “We are seeking exceptional people who are doing exceptional things, bringing responsible tourism into their everyday working lives.”

Since the awards began eight years ago, more than 10,000 nominations have been made and a total of 201 companies and organizations from 51 countries have been honored.

More than one hundred large and small companies have already applied to use the official 2011 WTM WRTD logo ahead of the actual day in November and are now being processed.

Applications are being assessed to ensure that they meet WTM World Responsible Tourism Day’s criteria.

Once approved, successful applicants can use the official WTM WRTD logo for this year on its sales, marketing, letterhead, and direct mail and PR materials as well as enjoy considerable global business, publicity and profiling benefits.

• Log on to www.responsibletravel.com/awards to make nominations for the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards 2011
• For more information or to apply for a WTM World Responsible Tourism logo, log on to www.wtmwrtd.com or contact the WTM WRTD co-coordinator Araminta Sugden on the WRTD hotline telephone +44 (0) 1892 535943; email wtmwrtd@janelarcombecommunications.com