UNWTO and FITUR to Co-Host 2013 Awards Ceremony

The 2013 UNWTO Awards ceremony, the flagship awards of the global tourism sector, will be jointly hosted, for the first time, by UNWTO and the Madrid International Tourism Trade Fair (FITUR).

The UNWTO Awards are designed to recognize and showcase innovative and sustainable tourism initiatives and influential individuals of the tourism sector.

“This is the first time ever for FITUR, an UNWTO Affiliate Member and a leading trade fair, to co-host the awards. This agreement showcases FITUR´s support to tourism innovation and sustainability as well as its commitment to the long standing partnership with UNWTO,” said UNWTO Secretary-General in signing the co-hosting agreement with Luis Eduardo Cortés, Chief Executive Officer of the Trade Fair Institution of Madrid (IFEMA), of which FITUR is a key fair. “We are particularly happy as this means the Awards Ceremony will take place in Madrid, the host city of UNWTO.”

The Chief Executive Officer of IFEMA, Luis Eduardo Cortés, stressed the importance to create “spaces for collaboration in the current environment, as the one announced today, and to make an effective contribution to the new challenges facing the global tourism sector. FITUR is honoured to expand the framework of cooperation with the main reference in world tourism, sharing UNWTO’s goals which are key to the progress of the sector. Hence our commitment to leverage the Awards through this fair, which every year brings together more than 200,000 tourism professionals.”

Since its inception in 2003, UNWTO has acknowledged the contribution of eight distinguished scholars as well as more than forty institutions – public, private or NGOs – for their innovative tourism initiatives. The contribution of the awardees is in line with UNWTO´s policies, priorities and programme of work, including the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism and the principles and standards set in the United Nations´ Millennium Development Goals.

The call for nominations for the 2013 UNWTO Awards is open until 1 October 2013. The UNWTO Awards are awarded in categories for individuals and for specific tourism activities.

Two categories of Awards for individuals:

1. The UNWTO Ulysses Prize for Excellence in the Creation and Dissemination of Knowledge

2. The UNWTO Award for Lifetime Achievement

Four categories of Awards for specific tourism initiatives:

1. UNWTO Ulysses Award for Innovation in Public Policy and Governance

2. UNWTO Ulysses Award for Innovation in Enterprises

3. UNWTO Ulysses Award for Innovation in Non-Governmental Organizations

4. UNWTO Ulysses Award for Innovation in Research and Technology

The 2013 Awards ceremony will take place on 22 January 2014 during the Madrid International Fair FITUR, followed by the UNWTO Knowledge Network Symposium (23 January) that will highlight best theories and practices showcased by the awardees of the different categories.