Above: the Tryall Club and Villas in Jamaica

By Alexander Britell

PORT OF SPAIN — Tourism organizations and hotels from Guyana and Jamaica dominated the list of winners at this year’s CTO TravelMole Sustainable Tourism awards in Trinidad.

The awards were announced during the 14th Annual Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development.

Guyanese hotels and organizations took home the awards for Caribbean Excellence in Sustainable Tourism, Destination Stewardship, Heritage Protection and Biodiversity Conservation.

It was Guyana’s Karanambu Lodge that took home the Caribbean Excellence in Sustainable Tourism Award.

Jamaica’s Tryall Club and Villas won the Sustainable Accommodation award, while the Bowden Pen Farmers’ Association in Jamaica took home the top honours for the Community Benefit Award.

The Puerto Rico Tourism Company won the award for Destination Stewardship.

Approximately 30 projects were submitted from 10 CTO member states.

For the full list of winners, see below:

CARIBBEAN EXCELLENCE IN SUSTAINABLE TOURISM AWARD

Winner: The Karanambu Lodge Inc. (Guyana)

Other Finalists:

–       AQUARIUM de la Guadeloupe (Guadeloupe)

–       Amsterdam Manor Beach Resort (Aruba)

Special Mentions:

–       AQUARIUM de la Guadeloupe (Guadeloupe)

–       Amsterdam Manor Beach Resort (Aruba)

–       Sandals  Resorts International

DESTINATION STEWARDSHIP AWARD

Winner: Puerto Rico Tourism Company (Puerto Rico)

Other Finalist:

–       Conservation International Guyana (Guyana)

Special Mention:

–       Conservation International Guyana (Guyana)

SUSTAINABLE ACCOMMODATION AWARD

Winner: Tryall Club and Villas (Jamaica)

Other Finalist:

–       Almost Paradise Cottages and Restaurant (Grenada)

Special Mentions:

–       Almost Paradise Cottages and Restaurant (Grenada)

–       Community and Tourism Services Ltd. (Guyana)

–       Accra Beach Hotel and Spa (Barbados)

COMMUNITY BENEFIT AWARD

Winner: Bowden Pen Farmers’ Association (Jamaica)

Other Finalists:

–       Aranaputa Community Based Tourism (Guyana)

–       Cape Eleuthera Island School (The Bahamas)

Special Mentions:

–       Aranaputa Community Based Tourism (Guyana)

–       Cape Eleuthera Island School (The Bahamas)

HERITAGE PROTECTION AWARD

Winner: National Trust of Guyana (Guyana)

Other Finalists:

–       The National Art Gallery of The Bahamas (The Bahamas)

–       Educulture Bahamas Ltd. (The Bahamas)

Special Mentions:

–       The National Art Gallery of The Bahamas (The Bahamas)

–       Educulture Bahamas Ltd. (The Bahamas)

BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AWARD

Winner: Guyana Marine Turtle Conservation Society (Guyana)

Other Finalists:

–       Jamaica Conservation and Development Trust (Jamaica)

–       Atlantis, Paradise Island (The Bahamas)

Special Mentions:

–       Jamaica Conservation and Development Trust (Jamaica)

–       Atlantis, Paradise Island (The Bahamas)

–       Association Evasion Tropicale (Guadeloupe)