Since 1995, the Institute for Tourism and Development (Studienkreis für Tourismus und Entwicklung e.V.) has been awarding the international “TO DO Award” to honor initiatives that promote sustainable and socially responsible tourism. What distinguishes the winners is the active involvement of the local population, the creation of income opportunities for locals in tourism, and the promotion of intercultural encounters between hosts and guests. Since 2017, the TO DO Award Human Rights in Tourism has also been presented annually. It recognizes initiatives that are particularly committed to protecting human rights principles along the entire tourism value chain. The award ceremony will take place during ITB Berlin 2023.
The winners of the TO DO Award 2023 are:
“Nutti Sámi Siida” from Sweden: The project has created a tourism platform for the culture of the Sámi, the indigenous people who lived semi-nomadically from reindeer herding for centuries. Through interaction with travelers, the Sámi are exploring new ways to preserve their traditional livelihoods in harmony with the modern world and advancing climate change.
“Nuratau Community Based Tourism Project” from Uzbekistan: The project was launched in 2008 to provide additional income to the population in the remote mountain villages of the Nuratau Mountains. Today, the project consists of 14 family guesthouses in 6 villages, which can accommodate about 200 guests to immerse themselves in the everyday culture of the locals.
The TO DO Award Human Rights in Tourism 2023 goes to:
SASANE Sisterhood Trekking & Travel from Nepal: the project trains local women to become tour guides for the rural mountain villages of Nepal. These women come from underprivileged population groups and are survivors of domestic violence, child marriage and human trafficking. The project provides them with a viable source of income.