Dubai Sustainable Tourism Awards: Do you have what it takes to be a winner?
Nominations are now open for the new edition of the Dubai Sustainable Tourism Awards, which will shine a spotlight on the industry’s leaders and pioneers in environmentally friendly business practices.
With an expected 20 million visitors in 2020, tourism is booming in Dubai, and with that growth comes the responsibility to ensure future generations can enjoy what we have today. With this goal, the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) Sustainable Tourism Initiative aims to improve sustainability in the tourism sector and contribute to Dubai’s broader clean energy development targets.
The pillars of sustainability
From awareness and education to energy efficiency and environmental protection, the pillars of sustainability lie at the heart of the awards, with the end goal of minimising the tourism industry’s carbon footprint. These awards give hospitality companies added incentive to improve their environmental performance and inspire one another to improve, while recording and monitoring vital environmental data. From desert camps, one-star city hotels to five-star resorts and luxury hotel apartments, the awards are open to the gamut of tourist accommodation in the emirate. To ensure fairness, each application will be assessed relative to their own establishment type, so five-star hotels would compete against other competing with other five-star hotels, and so on.
Drawing comparisons to inspire change
Establishments will be judged on key performance indicators such as water, fuel and electricity consumption; use of renewable energies; food waste levels; recycling; and even the planting of local drought-resistant greenery. Holding a mirror up to the industry’s green practices will allow business leaders to reflect on the industry’s environmental impact – a healthy and timely undertaking that will inspire positive change and help maintain the beautiful bounty of Dubai.
Nominations are now open. To enroll, please visit the Dubai Sustainable Tourism website at: https://dst.dubaitourism.ae/survey/enrollnow