NATIONAL8 (Spotlight Weekly]

Conservation Commendation

A Nepalese enterprise wins the prestigious Tourism for Tomorrow Award

By A CORRESPONDENT

At a time when the countryís tourism industry is facing one of its worst times, a Nepalese enterprise has helped to lift the spirits of the sector by winning an international tourism award.

British Airways awarded the first prize of the Tourism for Tomorrow Award-2001 to Temple Tiger Jungle Lodge of Nepal for its contribution to protected areas and national parks at a gala ceremony held in London on October 2.

Chosen through global competition, the British Airways Tourism for Tomorrow Award is considered among the most prestigious in the tourism industry. It is given annually to a project for its contribution to the local natural and cultural environment and for improving the impact of tourism on the environment. Temple Tiger was selected from among 141 applicants from 59 countries.

The chairman of the Tourism for Tomorrow global panel of judges, Professor David Bellamy, a renowned conservationist, introduced the Temple Tiger Jungle Lodge to the eminent gathering after it was declared the winner, according to a Temple Tiger press release. Professor Bellamy said that Temple Tiger deserved the award because it aims to promote conservation through tourism and offers local communities alternatives to destructive practices such as logging and poaching.

Temple Tiger Jungle Lodge was selected from among a number of highly commendable projects, including the Scottish Seabird Center, UK , Bush and Beyond Guided Trekking, New Zealand, Nusantra Diving Center, Indonesia, Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail, USA, and Danube-Drava National Park, Hungary.

Speaking about the merits of the award, British Airways chairman Lord Marshall said, "We are proud to sponsor these awards which showcase the most worthy sustainable tourism projects in the world. The number and incredibly high quality of this year's entries reflects both the growth of, and the industry's commitment to sustainable tourism around the planet in recent years."

This is the second time Nepal has received the prestigious award. The Annapurna Conservation Area Project received the honor in 1992.

The other prominent personalities in the panel of judges were Sir Crispin Tickell of the UK governmentís Panel on Sustainable Development, Rita Gardner, director of the Royal Geographical Society, Graham Boynton, travel editor of the Daily Telegraph, and Ross B. Simons, director of the Smithsonian Environment Research Center.

THAI Voted Among Best Asia-Pacific Airlines

Thai Airways International was voted among the top three Asia-Pacific airlines and received the top honor for Best Economy Class, according to the Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Readers' Poll survey published in the October 2001 issue of the magazine.

THAI was also ranked among the top five for overall Best Airline, Best Business Class and Best Frequent Flyer Program. In addition, Bangkok was voted among the top five business cities in the world, while the Banyan Tree Phuket (Thailand) achieved second place in the Best Resort Hotel in the Asia-Pacific category.

Business Traveller Asia-Pacific conducted the independently planned survey, which ended in July 2001, by distributing 10,830 questionnaires to single subscribers with copies of the magazine. The valid returned questionnaires represented 13 per cent of the response. According to the Business Traveller Magazine, 75 per cent of respondents to the poll took more than 10 flights over a 12-month period and almost 25 per cent notched up more than 40 flights.