Britain's top sustainable businesses to be honoured at 'Green Oscars'

Britain's top sustainable businesses
    to be honoured at 'Green Oscars'
THE WORLD'S leading sustainable tourism accreditation programme is to honour Britain's most
environmentally friendly businesses at a prestigious national awards ceremony to mark the
culmination of Green Tourism Week.

This 2013 Green Tourism GoldStar Awards are the biggest and best yet with more than 2,400
contenders whittled down to a shortlist of 63 businesses nominated for 15 awards.

Now in their third year the annual awards aim to honour those businesses and organisations that
have done the most to promote sustainability within the industry by implementing cost-saving
practices that help the environment, improve customer services and benefit the bottom line.

The winners of the awards will be announced at the first Green Tourism Conference to be held at
the AT-Bristol Science Centre on 8th November as one of the highlights marking a week of events
across the country between November 4th and 10th to mark Green Tourism Week.

All of the finalists, which include 34 from England, 23 from Scotland, five from Wales and one from
the Channel Islands, were chosen from over 2400 green tourism companies assessed for their
innovation, cost savings and green ambassadorship during 2012-2013.

The categories for the GoldStar Awards 2013 include:

      Best Activity Provider.
      Best B&B and Guest House.
      Best Holiday Park and Camping Site.
      Best Conference Centre.
      Best Hostel and Bunkhouse.
      Best Hotel.
      Best Self-Catering Accommodation.
      Best Visitor Attraction.
      Best Campus Accommodation.
      Best Corporate Office.
      Best Restaurant / Café
      People’s Choice Award
      Green Tourism Destination Award.
      Tour Operator of the Year
      Best Tourism Information Centre / Visitor Information Centre.

Andrea Nicholas, Director of Green Tourism, said: "The GoldStar Awards are a recognition of the
best of the best in Britain when it comes to creating and maintaining a thriving sustainable tourism
industry.

“A record number of 63 green tourism businesses from across the UK have been shortlisted for the
GoldStar Awards this year out of more than 2,400 entries. The finalists represent the top 3 per cent
of Green Tourism businesses in the UK.”

One new category introduced this year is the Green Tourism Destination Award. Andrea Nicholas
added: “We have introduced the Green Tourism Destination Award this year as we find the support
and commitment of the Destination Organisations so important for encouraging businesses and
promoting Green Tourism to their visitors. We wanted to be able to highlight some of the excellent
activities and projects that have been rolled out in these Destinations.”

Satish Kumar, editor of Resurgence and Ecologist magazine, is the keynote speaker at this year's
awards ceremony, which is again sponsored by Triodos Bank and Ecover.

Kate Lewis, Assistant Relationship Manager with Triodos' Food, Farming and Trade team, said:
“Triodos is very pleased to be sponsoring the GoldStar awards for the third year running.

“In previous years, the awards have enabled us to connect with many inspiring and like-minded
businesses which has resulted in new leads for the bank.

“This year’s conference is a fantastic opportunity for us to meet more of these businesses and
showcase what we do to those who don’t already know about us. We look forward to the event and
the exciting prospects it will undoubtedly create.”

Green Tourism was launched 16 years ago and is now is the biggest of its kind in the world having
helped nearly 10,000 businesses improve their commitment to sustainability. It is considered one of
the most rigorous of its kind and is the only certification programme independently validated by the
International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT) on behalf of VisitEngland, VisitWales and the
Northern Ireland Tourist Board, and endorsed by VisitScotland and Failte Ireland.

The organisation has become a world leader in highlighting the importance of protecting
environments, respecting local cultures, supporting communities, conserving natural resources and
minimising pollution.

Steve Mitchell, UK Sales Manager for Ecover, said the bank was delighted to once again sponsor
the Goldstar Awards and to underline and build on the partnership between Ecover and Green
Tourism.

He said: “Tourism and Hospitality is a cornerstone of the UK economy and GTBS members are

leading the way in showing how businesses in this vital sector can operate in a successful and
sustainable way, enhancing the visitor experience whilst minimising their impact on the environment.

His comments were echoed by fellow sponsor Kimberly-Clark Professional. Lori Shaffer,
Sustainability Marketing Manager for the company said: “We are pleased to be working with GTBS
as they have adopted a similar lifecycle approach to sustainability. Together we can make a
difference, by proactively evaluating each stage of the product/service lifecycle and identifying ways
to reduce environmental impact.”

ends
Note to Editors.
For further information on the GTBS, the GoldStar Awards and Green Tourism Week please visit
www.green-business.co.uk or www.facebook.com/greentourismweek

The nominations for each category are:

Best Activity Provider
Slapton Ley Field Studies Centre, Kingsbridge, Devon.
Kindrogan Field Centre, Enochdhu, Perthshire
Foot Trails, Bath, Somerset.

Best B & B
Tordown B&B Healing Centre, Glastonbury, Somerset.
Seaview, Fionnphort, Isle of Mull.
Lowthwaite B&B, Penrith, Cumbria.
Upper Middle Road Farm, Brecon, Powys.
Signal Rock Cottage B&B, Ballachulish, Argyll.
Orchard Lodge B&B, Boscastle, Cornwall.
Hedgehog Corner Guest Accommodation, Axminster, Devon.

Best Campus Accommodation
Josephine Butler College, Durham, County Durham.
Devonshire Hall, Leeds, West Yorkshire.
University College, Durham, County Durham.
University of Edinburgh Accommodation, Edinburgh, Midlothian.

Best Conference / Event Venue
Edinburgh International Conference Centre, Edinburgh, Midlothian.
Green Directions, Sheffield, South Yorkshire.
Wembley National Stadium Limited, Wembley, Middlesex.

Best Corporate Office
Maximillion Events, Edinburgh, Midlothian.

Forest of Bowland AONB, Dunsop Bridge, Lancashire.
Arnside and Silverdale AONB, Carnforth, Lancashire.
Shetland Amenity Trust, Lerwick, Shetland.

Best Holiday Park
Kelling Heath Holiday Park, Holt, Norfolk.
Glenmore Caravan & Camping Site, Aviemore, Inverness‐shire.
Woodovis Park, Tavistock, Devon
Best Hostel
Wern Watkin Bunkhouse, Crickhowell, Powys.
Fraoch Lodge, Boat of Garten, Inverness‐shire.
Woodland Valley Farm, Truro, Cornwall.

Best Hotel
Strattons Hotel, Swafham, Norfolk.
Isle Of Eriska, Hotel, Spa and Island, Oban, Argyll.
Gleneagles Hotel, Auchterarder, Perthshire.
Dixcart Hotel, Sark, Isle of Sark.
Dartmouth Golf and Country Club, Dartmouth, Devon.
Winford Manor, Bristol, Avon.
Burleigh Court, Loughborough, Leicestershire.
Battlesteads Hotel, Hexham, Northumberland.
Langdale Hotel, Ambleside, Cumbria.

Best Restaurant / Café
Captain's Galley Seafood Restaurant, Scrabster, Caithness.
Drovers Rest Restaurant With Rooms & Cooking School, Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys.
Gylly Beach Cafe, Falmouth, Cornwall.

Best Self‐Catering Provider
Caldertop Cottage, Preston, Lancashire.
Malkin Tower Farm, Blacko, Lancashire.
Glencoe Cottages, Glencoe, Argyll.
Wheeldon Trees Farm Holiday Cottages, Buxton, Derbyshire.
Gorge View Cottage, Cheddar, Somerset.
Cottage in the Dales Ltd, Leyburn, North Yorkshire.
Banceithin Farm and Holiday Cottages, Llanon, Ceredigion.
Coombe Farm Trust/Coombe Woodland Trust, Tiverton, Devon.

Best Tour Operator
Scot Mountain Holidays, Boat of Garten, Inverness‐shire
Rabbies Trail Burners, Edinburgh, Midlothian.

Best TIC / VIC
Once Brewed TIC, Hexham, Northumberland.
Poole Tourist Information Centre, Poole, Dorset.
Crickhowell Resource and Information Centre, Powys, West Glamorgan.
VisitScotland Braemar VIC, Braemar, Aberdeenshire.
VisitScotland Portree VIC, Portree, Isle of Skye.
VisitScotland Inverness VIC, Inverness, Inverness‐shire.

Best Visitor Attraction
Highland Safaris, Aberfeldy, Perthshire.
Waddow Lodge Garden, Clitheroe, Lancashire.
Cairngorm Mountain Ltd, Aviemore, Inverness‐shire.
Scottish Crannog Centre, Loch Tay, Perthshire.
Nevis Range, Fort William, Inverness‐shire.
Glenlivet Estate, Tomintoul, Banffshire.
Harehope Quarry Project Ltd, Frosterley, County Durham.
Romney Marsh Eco Centre and Local Nature Reserve, New Romney, Kent.