Tourism initiatives restoring forests, supporting regenerative agriculture, promoting cultural heritage and creating opportunities for disadvantaged communities were recognised at the ICRT Europe Responsible Tourism Forum and Awards ceremony held at the Press Club Brussels Europe on 23 June 2026.
The winners of the 2026 ICRT Europe Responsible Tourism Awards, sponsored by easyJet holidays, were announced during the event, celebrating organisations across Europe that have demonstrated practical approaches to making tourism more environmentally sustainable, socially inclusive and economically beneficial for local communities.
Projects from Spain, Türkiye, the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom, Cyprus, Italy, Greece, Finland, Montenegro, Croatia and Poland were among those honoured across seven award categories.
“The judges were impressed by the quality and practicality of the initiatives entered this year. We saw tourism businesses and organisations demonstrating how tourism can actively restore ecosystems, strengthen local economies, celebrate cultural diversity and create opportunities for people who are often excluded,” said Harold Goodwin, founder of ICRT Global and chair of the judges. “Many of this year’s winners have developed approaches that can be replicated elsewhere, showing how responsible tourism can create lasting benefits for destinations and communities.”
“At easyJet holidays, we’re proud to support the ICRT Europe Responsible Tourism Awards because celebrating and sharing best practice is one of the most effective ways to drive meaningful impact across the industry,” said Matt Callaghan, chief operating officer at easyJet holidays. “These winners show what can be achieved when organisations put communities, culture and the environment at the heart of decision making. By recognising and showcasing their achievements, we’re reinforcing our commitment to supporting more businesses to learn from their success and continue raising standards across tourism.”
Among the gold award winners, TUI Forest Mallorca won the Adapting to Climate Change category for its work restoring forests, dune systems and wildlife habitats in Spain’s Península de Llevant Natural Park through a partnership with the Balearic Islands Government. The judges highlighted its combination of habitat restoration, biodiversity protection, visitor education and community engagement.
CAS Trips from the Czech Republic received the Championing Cultural Diversity award for educational travel programmes centred on local communities, while Unseen Tours in the United Kingdom won the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion category for employing people with experience of homelessness as walking tour guides in London.
Italy’s Addiopizzo Travel received the Local Economic Benefit award for directing visitor spending towards businesses in Sicily that publicly refuse to pay Mafia protection money. Judges underscored its measurable impact in strengthening local economies and ensuring that tourism revenue remains within local communities through an ethical, vetted network of enterprises committed to social change.
Türkiye’s Club Marvy secured the Nature Positive award for integrating biodiversity conservation into its operations through habitat protection, marine conservation and species protection initiatives. Judges highlighted the resort’s comprehensive nature-positive approach and measurable progress in aligning hospitality operations with ecosystem restoration goals.
In the Regenerative Tourism category, TUI Field to Fork Greece was recognised for connecting farmers, food producers and tourism businesses to support regenerative agriculture across Crete and Rhodes.
Several projects also received silver awards and “One to Watch” recognition for initiatives ranging from fire resilience and climate adaptation to cultural heritage preservation, low-impact tourism and extending visitor seasons.
Adapting to Climate Change
- Silver: Paloma Grida, Turkey
Championing Cultural Diversity
- Silver: TUI Colourful Cultures Croatia (in partnership with DEŠA), Croatia
- One to Watch: Kameni otok – Journey Through Stone, Croatia
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
- Silver: Cyprus Environment Foundation, Cyprus
Local Economic Benefit
- One to Watch: Visit Gdańsk, Poland
- One to Watch: Zagreb County Tourist Board (Croatia) and Slovenia – InterWine
Nature Positive
- One to Watch: Mallorca SUP Company, Spain
Regenerative Tourism
- Silver: Camp Ilijin Vir, Montenegro
- Silver: Haltia Lake Lodge, Finland
The European gold winners will now compete against regional winners from Latin America, Africa, the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia and other regions for the Global Responsible Tourism Awards, sponsored by the Belize Tourism Board. The global winners will be announced in London in November.
