The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has named UK academic Professor Graham Miller of the University of Surrey among the judges of the 2013 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards.
Professor Miller, head of the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Surrey University, has been the UK representative on the 12-strong panel of judges for several years.
Miller and his fellow judges, drawn from experts in responsible tourism around the world, will select three finalists in each of four award categories: destination stewardship, community benefit, conservation and global tourism business.
The Tourism for Tomorrow Awards process culminates in onsite inspections and field evaluations of every finalist.
The judges come from organisations in countries including Australia, Barbados, Bhutan, Colombia, India, Kenya, Mexico, Mongolia, Qatar and the US, and include Gail Henry, sustainable tourism product specialist at the Caribbean Tourism Organisation.
Chairman of the judges Costas Christ said: “One of the signature aspects of these awards is the truly international team of expert judges, reflecting diverse stakeholders in the global travel and tourism industry, including the private sector, academic institutions, non-profit organisations and government.”
WTTC president and chief executive David Scowsill said: “We are delighted to have such high-calibre judges to select our finalists who provide an important perspective based on their diverse cultural backgrounds and professional expertise.”
The awards are open to every kind of travel and tourism business or organisation, from resorts and destinations, through small businesses to global companies and not-for-profit organisations.
Applications are open until November 26 and can be submitted online. The winners will be announced at the WTTC Global Summit in Abu Dhabi in April 2013.
For more details: wttc.org/tourismfortomorrow
To make an application: wttc.org/tourismfortomorrow/apply
Or contact: Anja Eckervogt, WTTC Tourism for Tomorrow Awards manager, anja.eckervogt@wttc.org