The preservation efforts undertaken at the Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park at the Bahamas, the historical extravaganza of western Samegrelo region of Georgia, celebration of Sustainable Gastronomy Day in Macau (China), Agrotourism in Puerto Rico, and similar efforts showcasing how the powers of tourism may be used to drive sustainable development appeared to have most impressed the judges at the 2021 UNWTO Tourism Video Competition.
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is the United Nations agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism.
Launched ahead of the 24th UNWTO General Assembly held in Madrid (Spain), the competition was designed to recognize the best visual storytellers from every global region.
The contest was divided into two categories - &lsquoTourism and the Decade of Action&rsquo and &lsquoExceptional Stories of Sustainable Tourism&rsquo.
&lsquoTourism and the Decade of Action&rsquo was about how the tourism sector was advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through references to one or several of the 17 Global Goals stated by UNWTO. Winners in this category included
Africa Seychelles - Experience Seychelles
Americas Bahamas - Exuma Land and Sea Park
Asia & Pacific Macao, China - Sustainable Gastronomy Day 2021
Europe Georgia - The Grand Tour of Samegrelo
Middle East Experience Egypt
The &lsquoExceptional Stories of Sustainable Tourism&rsquo presented the human face of tourism and showcased the positive social impact the sector can have through generating opportunities for all. Winners in this category included
Africa Seychelles - Creole Rendezvous
Americas Puerto Rico - Agrotourism Puerto Rico
Asia & Pacific The Philippines - Have A Safe Trip, Pinas
Europe Slovenia - Slovenian Gastronomy. You can't spell Slovenia without love. Your plate awaits.
Middle East The Red Sea Company - Seeds of Hope (affiliate member)
The videos are available here.
To help the tourism industry recover from the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, UNWTO has been using various formats of the visual and the digital media over the past year. The main idea is to ensure the restart of tourism, especially local and sustainable tourism, which in turn will boost the economy.