InterMundial Foundation, FITUR, and the UNWTO reward the sustainability efforts of Iberia, Iberostar Group, and Norway

Madrid, January 22, 2020.

InterMundial Foundation presented the 3rd Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Awards today, organized in collaboration with FITUR and the World Tourism Organization. The five winners of this third edition were selected from a total of 53 entries from seven countries: Spain, Morocco, Mexico, Egypt, Argentina, Brazil, and France.

The 2020 edition featured five categories: Hospitality; Transport, tourism products and services; Destinations; Blogosphere; and, new this year, Media.

The 3rd Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Awards recognized Grupo Iberostar, Iberia, Visit Norway, Silleros Viajeros, and Paralelo 20, respectively, for their work in developing and promoting tourism that advocates for environmentally, economically, and socially responsible practices.

Winning projects of the 3rd Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Awards

The 3rd Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Award in the Hospitality category went to Grupo Iberostar. With more than 120 hotels in 19 countries, Grupo Iberostar carries out a multitude of actions in support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The jury highlighted the value of initiatives such as "Wave of Change" (moving towards a circular economy), "Responsible Seafood Consumption," and "Improving Coastal Health." After becoming the first hotel chain to eliminate single-use plastics from all its rooms in Spain, Grupo Iberostar succeeded in 2019 in making rooms plastic-free in all the countries where it operates. The goal of increasing the consumption of 100% responsible and sustainable seafood in 2020, investment in environmental research, and its "Coral Lab" were other actions highlighted by the jury. Ramón Estalellas, Secretary General of CEHAT, presented this award to Soraya Romero, Director of Sustainability for EMEA at Grupo Iberostar.

The 3rd Responsible Tourism Award in the Transport, tourism products and services category was awarded to Iberia for its efforts to reduce CO2 emissions by incorporating 142 aircraft that will be up to 25% more efficient over the coming years. In line with this, Iberia has put 33 new A350-900 and A320neo aircraft into service, which are between 15% and 35% more efficient, as well as twin-engine aircraft for transoceanic flights. These initiatives have allowed for an average reduction in emission intensity of nearly 8% over the last 5 years. The jury also gave special mention to the "Life Zero Cabin Waste" project, promoted by the airline, which aims to recycle 80% of the waste generated on board. Teresa Parejo, Director of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility at Iberia, received the award from Manuel López, CEO of the InterMundial Group.

The 3rd Responsible Tourism Award in the Destinations category went to "Visit Norway." The jury recognized "Norway's constant work to be a benchmark sustainable destination for the rest of the world, thanks to its commitment to the environment and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals." 14 of its territories have already received the "Sustainable Destination" label promoted by the Norwegian Sustainable Tourism Council: Trysil, Røros, The Vega Islands, Lærdal, the Svalbard Islands, the Golden Route, the Lyngenfjord Region, Lysefjord, and Setesdal. And 12 new destinations have already begun the two-year process to obtain it. María Valcarce, Director of FITUR, was in charge of presenting the award to Eugenia Fierros, Director of the Norwegian Tourist Board.

The 3rd Responsible Tourism Award in the Blogosphere category went to "Silleros Viajeros," a blog specializing in inclusive tourist destinations. With more than 30,000 monthly visits and around 16,000 followers, Silleros Viajeros also has a radio program that discusses accessible destinations and companies that offer leisure and free-time activities adapted to special needs, and it gives a voice to travelers with disabilities who share their experiences. The jury made special mention of "the work of these types of initiatives that contribute to making tourism a sector for everyone, without exclusion or discrimination." The representative of the World Tourism Organization, Marina Diotallevi, presented the award to Kity Garrido, author of the Silleros Viajeros blog.

Finally, the 3rd Responsible Tourism Award in the Media category has been awarded to the radio program ‘Paralelo 20’. The travel and tourism radio show on Radio Marca has been on the air for 10 years, bringing radio to schools every weekend while raising awareness among students to become responsible travelers through talks on sustainable tourism. The jury also highlighted its ‘Turismo per tutti’ segment, which addresses the need for increasingly accessible tourism that breaks down barriers. Francisco Javier del Nogal, Director of Tourism & Law and Deputy Director of Grupo InterMundial, along with Carlos Garrido, President of CEAV, presented the award to Juan Ignacio Gallardo, Director of Radio Marca and Diario Marca, and Marcial Corrales, host of Paralelo 20.

During the awards ceremony, held at the 40th edition of the Madrid International Tourism Fair (FITUR), Manuel López, trustee of the InterMundial Foundation and CEO of Grupo InterMundial, focused on the importance of recognizing responsible tourism practices and “giving maximum exposure to initiatives that revolve around sustainability and go beyond just being on paper, so they can create a ripple effect throughout the industry.” For López, “the consolidation of these awards is a way to do that and move forward together toward sustainability, which is so necessary for our tourism.”

On behalf of the five finalists of the 2020 Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Award, the following received their awards: Lucía Salcedo, Guest Experience Manager at Novotel; Richard J. Vogel, CEO of Grupo Pullmantur; the President of the Teruel Provincial Council, Manuel Rando; the author of Viajes Eslou, Cristina Contreras; and Juan Carlos Cavero and Javier Rodríguez, director and editor, respectively, of Agenttravel.

Jury composition

The jury was composed of Manuel López, trustee of the InterMundial Foundation and CEO of Grupo InterMundial; María Valcarce, director of FITUR; Francisco Javier del Nogal, general director of Tourism & Law; Manuel Butler, executive director of the World Tourism Organization; Joan Molas, president of the Hotel Technology Institute; Carlos Garrido, president of CEAV; and Paco Nadal, a travel journalist for the newspaper El País.

About the InterMundial Foundation

The InterMundial Foundation is a non-profit organization belonging to Grupo InterMundial that promotes and develops a high-quality tourism sector. It highlights the benefits that tourism brings to society and the environment, fostering research in pursuit of responsible tourism development.

-Launch of the Hotel CSR Award in 2012.

-Creation of the Responsible Traveler Manifesto in 2017.

-2 editions of the National Responsible Traveler Meeting.

-3 editions of the Responsible Tourism Award, in collaboration with FITUR and the UNWTO.

About InterMundial

InterMundial is the leading specialist in travel and sports insurance in Spain. It has offices in Spain's main tourist cities and 8 commercial branches abroad (Brazil, Colombia, Italy, France, Mexico, Poland, Portugal, and the United Kingdom).

-3,200,000 policyholders each year.

-More than 6,500 partner points of sale.

-More than 700 phone inquiries handled every day.

-25,000 claims resolved each year.