TO DO Award 2021: More valuable than hardly ever before…

For 26 years, Studienkreis has been honouring best-practice projects for socially responsible tourism; Claudia Mitteneder: ”TO DO projects point to the future of tourism"

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Seefeld, 07.07.2020 – Despite – or especially because of – the ongoing crisis in international tourism in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Institute for Tourism and Development (Studienkreis für Tourismus und Entwicklung) has announced the TO DO Award – International Contest Socially Responsible Tourism 2021. Best practice projects for the 26th year’s round of the contest may now be submitted. Deadline for submissions: 15 August 2020.
The global tourism industry is faced with enormous challenges in coping with the immediate and medium to long-term effects of the pandemic. The collapse of the travel market has affected players along the entire touristic value chain. Apart from tour operators, carriers and hotels it has mainly hit employees in tourism in the destinations. A quick recovery of the tourism business cannot be expected. 
Claudia Mitteneder, CEO of Studienkreis: “Against this backdrop it is no exaggeration to speak of a turning point in tourism. Even though the domestic and European travel markets are currently being revived in a cautious manner, over the coming months and years tourism will be different from what we have seen in the past. Though the situation is certainly dramatic, Studienkreis also recognises opportunities for a new approach in tourism. Since 1995, the TO DO Award has stood for this kind of socially responsible travel. The exemplary projects honoured with our award may be alternatives to mass tourism, because they are small-scale, involve local people and their needs and experiences, and above all serve the people”.
Studienkreis launched the now globally renowned contest 26 years ago and has been conducting it annually ever since. Honouring successful projects for sustainable tourism, enabling them to gain best possible visibility, has remained the idea of the TO DO Award. Since the contest was launched, more than 500 project submissions from more than 90 countries have been received by Studienkreis. Participation in the planning and implementation of tourism projects and benefit sharing of everybody involved along the entire value chain are a basic requirement. In these economically extremely difficult times of the complex Covid-19 crisis, this may be an argument in favour of the award-winning businesses and initiatives in the destinations.
Claudia Mitteneder: “Of course, socially responsible tourism projects cannot prevent global crises as we are currently experiencing them. But I am convinced that the possibilities of directly managing their tourism projects help to strengthen the economic power of local communities and make them more resilient against crises in general. At any rate, we again look forward to innovative and exciting tourism projects from all over the world that are designed in ways to enhance sustainability“.
Having been selected by a jury and assessed by an expert on location, all winning projects will be honoured with a TO DO Award at ITB Berlin in March 2021. You will find the conditions of participation and an application form (in German and English) at www.todo-contest.org/eng/.
Along with the 26th TO DO Award, Studienkreis has also announced the 5th TO DO Award Human Rights in Tourism. This award honours initiatives, projects, and individuals that provide good examples of the protection of and respect for human rights principles in tourism. For this award it is not possible to apply directly. Monitoring the market, an expert jury selects potential award winners and evaluates their efforts.

Cooperation partners German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Bread for the World/Tourism Watch, forum anders reisen, ITB Berlin, Swiss Foundation for Solidarity in Tourism, Studiosus Reisen München GmbH
Prize Money The Swiss Foundation for Solidarity in Tourism awards every TO DO Award winner with a prize money of 5,000 Swiss Francs.

Studienkreis für Tourismus und Entwicklung (Institute for Tourism and Development) focuses on development related information and education in tourism. In this context it brings out publications, organises international contests, offers training and seminars for people employed in the tourism sector, carries out tourism research and consultancy, and is involved in dialogue on issues related to tourism development.

Contact for the press
Studienkreis für Tourismus und Entwicklung e.V.
Claudia Mitteneder, Executive Director
Phone: +49 8152 999010 | presse@studienkreis.org

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