The South African Animal Sanctuary Alliance (SAASA), owners of Monkeyland, Birds of Eden, Jukani Wildlife Sancutary (all located in The Crags, Plettenberg Bay) and Monkeyland KZN (located in Ballito, KZN)  is the winner of the 2019 Sustainable Tourism Award in the category Major Tourist Attractions. Lara Mostert was in Miami to collect the award on behalf of SAASA.

The awards were launched in 2002 after the United Nations declaration of that year as the Year of Ecotourism and the Mountains, with the purpose of highlighting and acknowledging best practices around the world.

“As an international organization of tourism industry leaders, Skål International is a powerful force in the travel and tourism industry to initiate change and encourage the conservation of the environment in order to promote tourism and travel,” said Andrew Rogers, President, Skål International Garden Route. “We adopted the UNWTO Global Code of Ethics in Tourism, and also support the Sustainable Tourism-Eliminating Poverty (ST-EP initiative).”

The awards are open to any company from the public and private sector, NGOs, government agencies and educational institutions worldwide may submit an entry in one of these categories:

• Community and government projects
• Countryside and biodiversity
  
• Educational programmes and media
  
• Major tourist attractions
  
• Marine and coastal
  
• Rural accommodation
  
• Tour operators/travel agents
  
• Tourist transport
  
• Urban accommodation
  

Entering these awards holds many benefits for companies operating in the international tourism sector:

• To enhance visibility and get recognition for your outstanding performance in terms of sustainable and responsible tourism.
• To increase your contacts and introduce your products and services to professionals from the tourism industry from all over the world.
  
• To obtain media coverage among the entire Skål membership worldwide and our international press contacts.
  
• To personally collect the award during the opening ceremony of the 80th Skål World Congress, an event that offers an excellent opportunity to network with tourism professionals from all over the world.
  
• To experience the membership of Skål International first hand.
  

Skål  is a professional organisation of tourism leaders around the world, promoting global tourism and friendship. It is the only international group uniting all branches of the travel and tourism industry. With Members in in over 400 Clubs throughout 90+ countries.

See the entry video here: