spotlightaward09

media type="custom" key="5148895"awards / 2009 Ecotourism Spotlight Award
related: communication, government, marketing art: 2010 logo slideshare: [|spotlight award] editing: [|Ecotourism Spotlight Award]

Government websites that engage locals and visitors about [|ecotourism] and [|responsible travel] are eligible to win Planeta.com's annual [|Ecotourism Spotlight Award]. The winner is announced in celebration of [|World Tourism Day] (September 27) to spotlight best practices from government institutions.

The Ecotourism Spotlight Award was developed to create incentives for communication, opportunities for conversation and a reward for participation among government leaders working toward ecotourism and responsible travel. Nominees receive international exposure and winners claim bragging rights!

"Locals and visitors are seeking ways to interact via ecotourism experiences," said Planeta.com founder [|Ron Mader]. "The Ecotourism Spotlight Award nudges government leaders toward creative and innovative ways that engage locals and visitors and inspire us all."

2009
Votes for the 2009 [|Ecotourism Spotlight Award] have been counted and here are the results. Nominees included [|Quito Visitors' Bureau], [|Responsible Tourism Guide to the Mekong], [|Ecotourism Laos] and [|Failte Ireland].

We asked 'which is your choice to win the 2009 Ecotourism Spotlight Award?' The winner with 41.3% of the vote is ... [|Ecotourism Laos] for an incredible third year in a row!

Ecotourism Laos recently overhauled its growing activities section, expanded the monthly What’s New page and added a Virtual Tour of Laos. A hotel booking engine along with greater use of Web 2.0 tools are in the pipeline.

Thaviphet Oula, Deputy Director of the Lao National Tourism Administration’s Department of Planning and Cooperation said “we are very happy to have the honor of being awarded the 2009 Ecotourism Spotlight Award because of the recognition this award brings to our efforts to promote Lao PDR as a top ecotourism destination in Asia.” Thanks to Planeta.com for establishing the Ecotourism Spotlight Award and a special thanks to everyone that supported Ecotourism Laos and the other great sites nominated this year."

Best practices include Failte Ireland's Ecotourism Handbook distribution to all 16,000 Irish tourism businesses and Quito's documentation of eco activities include eco bike rides. Web 2.0 tools are showcased on the Mekong guide. Ecotourism Laos has been revising its site and shows how any good website must be regularly updated to maintain its effectiveness.

Looking Forward
It takes some time for awards to be recognized among likely candidates and the interested public. Competition was strongest this year as many government sites have spent considerable time and resources improving their coverage of ecotourism.

"If there is support for a fourth year of this award in 2010, we will follow the example of the Indigenous Tourism and Biodiversity Website Award by convening a popular and a juried award," Mader said.

Comments
The award always makes us analyze the site anew from an ecotourism perspective, and always gives us fresh impetus in our endeavours to cover ecotravel. For that, we're very grateful to enter and to be considered! - Dominic Hamilton, [|Quito Visitors' Bureau]

Nominees
Laos Myanmar Thailand Vietnam || [|Responsible Tourism Guide to the Mekong] || In addition to a traditional page-per-activity approach to content publishing, ExploreMekong.org makes use of free web 2.0 tools to engage its readers, such as:- 1) Visitors to the site may submit comments, testimonials, and fair criticism on all the responsible tourism activities featured on the site. 2) The site's RSS (really simple syndication) feeds various social media brand extensions on social media sites such as Facebook. 3): Using a Google Maps plug-in, ACE has geo-tagged every featured activity for display on a single "Discovery Map". 4) Via the customization of a an automated Google News feed plug-in, the website is able to pull appropriate and relevant news extracts on regular basis. All on a very small site development budget. || [|Logo] || [|Twitter] [|Facebook] [|Good Tourism Wiki]! || [|Facebook] [|Flickr] ||
 * || Country || Nominee || Description || Logo? || Web 2.0 ||
 * media type="custom" key="5148913" || Ireland || [|Failte Ireland - National Tourism Development Authority] || This initiative published the country's first ecotourism handbook for all 16,000 Irish tourism businesses. ||  ||   ||
 * media type="custom" key="5148923" || Laos || [|Ecotourism Laos] || Funded by the Lao National Tourism Administration, this site highlights examples of locally managed ecotourism initiatives aimed at cultural and natural heritage conservation and poverty alleviation to the global marketplace. The activities pages features ethical, responsible, rural and ecotourism options || [|Logo] ||  ||
 * media type="custom" key="5148929" || Cambodia China
 * media type="custom" key="5148933" || Quito, Ecuador || [|Quito Visitors' Bureau] || The site highlights many of the initiatives underway in the city of Quito, including the [|Ciclo-Q Cycle Path]. There are featured sections on [|Sustainable tourism], [|Nature + Adventure] and [|Biking]. Also look for travel planning ideas for rural tourism in tandem with Quito's outlying villages (parishes). || [|Logo] || [|Slideshare]

Insider News
Honesty counts! We removed 4 votes that did not have a working email.

Removed from Competition
As the website ceased to function for more than one week in August, Mexico's [|National Commission of Natural Protected Areas] was pulled from competition.


 * media type="custom" key="4056335" || Mexico || [|National Commission of Natural Protected Areas] || Mexico Natoural offers new opportunities for local communities which live inside or close to protected areas and relevant conservation regions. ||  ||   ||

media type="custom" key="4054041"How this works

 * STEP 1: NOMINATING WEBSITES** - Only the managers of government websites can nominate their own sites.


 * STEP 2: CHOOSING NOMINEES** - The application asks what information the website includes, particularly the practical information for travelers about ecotourism, responsible travel and sustainability. We ask whether the site includes details about local operators, city parks and public transportation. Does the site includes exterior links to local businesses and conservation groups? Does the site highlight indigenous or aboriginal tourism options? If the site can demonstrate that it does showcase some of these practices, nominees will be asked to add a link and [|logo].


 * STEP 3: VOTING** - Voting takes place via a popular count in July and August. Respondents will be asked to review all the sites and choose their favorite via selection using an exterior link. Multiple votes will not be permitted. Honesty counts!


 * STEP 4: ANNOUNCEMENT** - The results will be tabulated and the winner announced in advance of [|World Tourism Day] (September 27).

**SPONSORS**
Planeta.com welcomes financial sponsorship to help develop this and other awards to encourage communication and conversation about ecotourism. Those interested should [|contact us!]

Planeta.com
Planeta.com is an award-winning website that presents articles and discussion about the environment and travel. The site debuted in 1994. Travelers will find tips on choosing eco-friendly, people-friendly and place-friendly trips. Professionals will find a number of helpful resources, including our [|Exploring Ecotourism Resource Guide].

**Criteria**
The Ecotourism Spotlight Award represents an opportunity for managers of government websites to improve their websites. Among the criteria for selection, the website should ...
 * be regularly updated
 * link to other relevant sites
 * encourage sustainable livelihoods, respect of life on earth
 * be user-friendly
 * be trustworthy
 * provide clear contextual information
 * have text in English
 * add the award logo

International websites should show what's happening in various regions. Regional and national websites should show options for travelers. City websites should show what's new in town and how eco-minded travelers can choose the best services. As we pay attention to climate concerns, we would like to see details about public transportation. As we pay attention to food, we would like sites to educate visitors about local cuisine and the environmental considerations

Bonus points to applicants making the most of Web 2.0 channels, including blogs, Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, YouTube and wikis. If you have these services or an RSS feed, let us know! Links will appear in the matrix on this page and may appear on the relevant regional guides as well.

Websites need to be active. Sites that go down for three consecutive days may be removed from the competition.

History
2009 is the third year of the Ecotourism Spotlight Award. The winner in 2007 and 2008 was [|Ecotourism Laos] funded by the Laos National Tourism Administration.

Government websites are advised to:
 * Winning Tips**

1) Move toward conversation with locals and visitors.

2) Create an informative, content-rich website that provides detailed information for visitors seeking eco-friendly, people-friendly and place-friendly travel. Provide direct links to local operations and seek input from those at the vanguard of in-country ecotourism on making your site even better.

3) Add the [|logo] and link for the award on your website. Alert visitors to check out all the contenders. Be generous!

Logo
The 2009 Ecotourism Spotlight Award [|logo] is available for download. Our only stipulation is that you let us know and that the logo links directly to the [|Award].

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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

 * How much does it cost to apply for the award?** - The competition is free! There is no cost to apply.
 * Are private businesses or NGOs eligible for the award?** - No. The award is given to websites financed or managed by government entities. Municipal, regional, national and international government websites are eligible.
 * Can parks departments and institutions working on conservation apply for the award?** - Yes! There are multiple players working in ecotourism. The award is not limited to tourism institutions.
 * What do the winners receive?** - Bragging rights!

HISTORY
[|Laos Wins 2009 Ecotourism Spotlight Award] [|Laos Wins 2008 Ecotourism Spotlight Award] [|Laos Wins 2007 Ecotourism Spotlight Award]

KUDOS
[|Destinet] [|Ecoclub] [|Ecoturismo Genuino] [|Fringe] [|Good Tourism Wiki] [|Greening Tourism] [|Greentraveller] [|Green-Travel] [|Ron Mader Blog] [|Scoopit] [|Sustainability NZ] [|TIES] [|Transitions Abroad] [|Travelmole] http://matadorabroad.com/2009-ecotourism-spotlight-award http://www.tourism-review.com/article/1869-awarding-the-best-governmental-eco-websites