The International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT) Global will announce the winners of its Responsible Tourism Awards Worldwide and the recipients of its 2026 Scholarships programme during a free online webinar on 25 August, bringing together tourism professionals, sustainability experts and emerging industry leaders.
The one-hour webinar, taking place from 12:00 to 13:00 UK time, will also mark the launch of the new Responsible Tourism Award categories for 2027.
The Responsible Tourism Awards Worldwide recognise organisations and initiatives that are helping make tourism more sustainable. Winners will be announced across categories including nature-positive and regenerative tourism, cultural tourism, creating economic impact, adapting to climate change, and advancing diversity, equity and inclusion.
Entries are currently being assessed from candidates across North America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Asia and Australasia. The worldwide ceremony is the fifth regional Responsible Tourism Awards event to take place this year, following award announcements in Latin America, Europe, Africa and Southeast Asia.
The awards will be presented by Harold Goodwin, founder of ICRT Global and chair of the judging panel. He will be joined by fellow judges Jane Ashton, ICRT Global board director; Eleanor Cox, sustainability executive at DERTOUR; Ruth Crichton, ICRT Southern Africa chair and representative of The Long Run; Yashin Dujon, executive director at the Belize Audubon Society; Karen Edwards, author and writer; Tiomóid Foley, net zero tourism manager, business development and intermediary marketing at VisitScotland; Carol Hay, ICRT Global special advisor; and Jane McFadzean, senior director of global sustainability at Trip.com.
Alongside the awards, the event will reveal the ten recipients of the 2026 ICRT Global Scholarships, delivered in partnership with ITB Berlin. Ryan Fuller, head of CSR and host country coordinator at ITB Berlin, together with ICRT special advisors Carol Hay and Sarah Habsburg, will outline how the programme supports the next generation of responsible tourism professionals.
The scholarship recipients will have the opportunity to complete one of ICRT Global’s online professional certificate courses in Responsible Tourism, Rebalancing Tourism or Creating Economic Value. The courses provide participants with expert teaching, global case studies, peer discussions and practical tools that can be applied within their own organisations and destinations.
The scholarship programme is backed by partners including easyJet holidays, The Institute of Tourism, Lemongrass Marketing, Mathur & Co and Responsible Travel. Recipients will also have opportunities to engage with representatives from the sponsoring organisations during the programme.
The Responsible Tourism Awards Worldwide is a part of a broader international awards network that also includes regional programmes in Africa, the Indian Subcontinent, Europe, Southeast Asia and Latin America. Gold winners from the regional competitions go on to compete for the Global Responsible Tourism Awards, sponsored by the Belize Tourism Board.
Debbie Hindle, chair of ICRT Global, highlighted: “We want this event to celebrate those already making a difference, but also to inspire others to take responsibility for the impacts of tourism. By bringing together award-winning initiatives, scholarship recipients, industry leaders and responsible tourism practitioners, we will be demonstrating the breadth of work taking place around the world to make tourism a positive force change, creating better places to live in and visit.”
The free webinar is open to participants worldwide, with sessions scheduled for 7:00 a.m. EDT on the US East Coast, 12:00 p.m. in London, 3:00 p.m. in Dubai, 8:00 p.m. in Japan and 9:00 p.m. in Sydney. Registration is available through the ICRT Responsible Tourism Awards Worldwide and Scholarships event page.
