The highly anticipated 2024 Braztoa Sustainability Award ceremony took place on Saturday, November 9, at the Buona Vitta Gramado Hotel. The event brought together authorities, supporters, operators, judges, finalists, the press and other guests, and was broadcast live on BRAZTOA's YouTube channel.
This year, the award received 83 entries from 18 different states in Brazil, of which 26 initiatives were selected as finalists, standing out for their innovation and significant impacts generated in favor of sustainable tourism. The finalists went through 3 evaluation phases, including a final Pitch phase, in which they made five-minute online presentations detailing the execution, results and impact of their initiatives to the jury.
After a careful evaluation carried out by the expert jury, coordinated by SPRINT Dados, those that had the highest degree of adherence to the principles and criteria were recognized, which involved: Systemic Approach to Sustainability; Sustainable Tourism (Relevance to the business + Local development); Innovation; Scope of Impact and Replicability/Scalability; Coherence; Extent of Impact; and Contribution to mitigating the effects of climate change.
At the end of the evaluation process, 10 initiatives were recognized as winners, in addition to five honorable mentions. The award winners include five initiatives in the Management/Governance category and four in the Experience/Product category, in addition to one special winner. Representing the five regions of Brazil, the winners reflect the diversity and scope of the tourism chain, including operators associated with Braztoa, business partners and several institutions, which operate in different areas of the sector.
"Each of the selected projects reaffirms the award's commitment to the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by highlighting initiatives that are truly making a difference in the sector. It is inspiring to see the commitment and creativity that the award-winning initiatives bring to sustainable tourism, and how we move forward year after year, with more mature initiatives,
“These projects are broad and conscious, which has made the judges’ task more difficult. The Braztoa Sustainability Award reflects not only the transformation potential of our sector, but also the dedication of the entire tourism chain to building a more responsible and innovative future. Celebrating these projects means considering the positive impact they generate on communities, destinations and the environment, and reaffirming Braztoa’s role in promoting tourism as an agent of transformation,” said Marina Figueiredo, CEO of BRAZTOA.
Check out the list of winners in alphabetical order.
Operators:
*BeFly - São Paulo, with the initiative:
Neutral Future
Neutral Future calculates the carbon emissions generated by its clients' corporate air travel. In addition, it offers the possibility of neutralizing these emissions through partnerships with approved suppliers of excellence. Thus, the project promotes environmental responsibility and contributes to the construction of a more sustainable and balanced future.
Experience/Product Category
*Association of Residents and Fishermen of the Bar da Hora Village - Maranhão, with the initiative:
Bar da Hora Village
The Bar da Hora Village has adopted a community-based and sustainable tourism model, focused on valuing local culture and environmental preservation. This model ensures that economic benefits are distributed among residents, promoting active community participation in all stages of tourism. With this approach, Bar da Hora not only preserves its traditions, but also promotes fair and sustainable economic development, strengthening community ties and creating tourism where the community plays a leading role.
* Peixe-Boi Association - Alagoas, with the initiative:
Manatee observation tourism
The Peixe-Boi Association ensures the ordering of visits, and is an institution that carries out Community-Based Tourism for observation of the manatee in the Tatuamunha River in Porto de Pedras, AL. Its objective is the sustainability of the community and the well-being of the most endangered animal on the Brazilian coast and its habitat, ensuring the protection of the manatee, generating income for the community and working on several environmental education actions, mainly in the central area of the largest coastal marine conservation unit in Brazil, the APA Costa dos Corais.
*Aura Amazônia Ltda - AMAZONAS, with the initiative:
Aromatic Tour of the Amazon
The Aromatic Tour of the Amazon offers an immersive and unique experience, combining the aromas of the forest with sustainable management and local culture. Focused on community tourism, the itinerary is developed in partnership with riverside communities and aromatherapy experts. The tour takes place in the Uatumã Sustainable Development Reserve/AM, valuing traditional knowledge and environmental preservation.
*Ekôa Park - Paraná, with the initiative:
Pact for Nature
"Pact for Nature" is a pioneering initiative by Ekôa Park to combat illegal hunting and promote biodiversity conservation in the Atlantic Forest. The initiative involves environmental education in schools, community engagement, strategic partnerships and the use of monitoring technologies. In addition to protecting endangered species, such as the juçara palm and the Mazama jucunda deer, the project promotes sustainable income alternatives, strengthening the relationship between the community and nature.
Category Management/Governance
*Grupo Cataratas - Rio de Janeiro, with the initiative:
Eco System: Cataratas Group's Environmental Management System
The ECO System was developed by the Cataratas Group as a systematization platform for Socio-Environmental Management. It consists of 4 main management tools that act in monitoring, performance evaluation, communication and engagement for the continuous improvement of socio-environmental issues and aspects that are related to the company's activities and operations.
*Rio da Prata Group - Mato Grosso do Sul, with the initiative:
The Sustainability Journey of the Rio da Prata Group, Jardim and Bonito, MS
The Rio da Prata Group offers three ecotourism experiences in the Bonito/MS region: Recanto Ecológico Rio da Prata, Lagoa Misteriosa and Estância Mimosa. Activities include floating, diving, waterfall tours and bird watching, all carried out in RPPNs with sustainable practices, such as the use of solar energy and reforestation. The Group is a reference in safety and sustainability, being the first in the world with Climate Positive certification and a Gold certificate in Responsible Tourism.
*Instituto Semeia - São Paulo, with the initiative:
Valuing and improving the management of natural and urban parks in Brazil
Instituto Semeia supports governments in taking care of parks, aiming to strengthen the management of these spaces and disseminate the benefits they promote, thus awakening in the Brazilian population a sense of pride in these areas. We believe in the virtuous cycle of conservation units, in which well-preserved and managed parks are capable of attracting more visitors and, through tourism, generating socioeconomic impacts for people, engaging them in the protection and care of parks.
*Resorts Brasil - São Paulo, with the initiative:
Raising awareness for a better future
The initiative focuses on 3 main axes: a) Preparing people: ESG training course with 45 graduates in 2023 and 2nd class scheduled for 2024; b) Preparing companies: ESG maturity diagnosis and awareness-raising events; c) Preparing the market: building the 'Turistech Hub' and launching the 'Climate Challenge' to connect climate challenges and deliver a report with trends. The objective is to inform and form a critical mass, impacting associated resorts and the market as a whole, with open actions and practical examples.
Special Winner
The judges decided that the 10th prize would be awarded to Rio Grande do Sul Tourism. In such a challenging year, the award did not receive entries from state initiatives, since the entry period coincided with a critical moment in which Rio Grande do Sul was impacted by rains and floods, resulting in an unprecedented tragedy. The choice of RS Tourism as the winner of this edition is a recognition of the commitment and resilient actions that followed to recover the state and the tourism sector. Brazil, moved and touched, came together in solidarity, following a series of initiatives aimed at protecting lives, recovering territories and businesses, in addition to restoring the self-esteem and dignity of the affected communities. This award is a tribute to Rio Grande do Sul tourism, and to all those who dedicated themselves to rebuilding and revitalizing this important and iconic region of Brazilian tourism.
Honorable Mentions
*Wazare Village – Waymare Association - Mato Grosso, with the initiative:
Wazare Cultural Tourism Haliti-Paresi Ethnic Group
Through rituals, body painting and the use of standard clothing, the Haliti-Paresi indigenous people from the Utiariti Indigenous Land in Mato Grosso show that local traditions are still alive. Over the years, we have found alternatives to strengthen cultural traits. Among them is the consolidation of ethnotourism, which contributes to the maintenance of the ethnic group's cultural identity.
*Itaipu Technological Park Foundation - PTI - Paraná, with the initiative:
Bela Vista Biological Refuge
For 40 years, the Bela Vista Biological Refuge, in Foz do Iguaçu, has promoted environmental conservation and encouraged community engagement in sustainable actions. Integrated into the Itaipu Tourist Complex, it offers an immersive environmental awareness experience for visitors and residents. With a focus on sustainability and innovation, the project highlights ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) principles.
*Peripheral Gastronomy - Quebrada School Restaurant Project - São Paulo, with the initiative:
Da Quebrada
In our school restaurant, reducing food waste is crucial. This can be done through pre-planned menus, composting and raising awareness among students, with responsible purchases prioritizing local, fresh and seasonal ingredients from small and sustainable peripheral producers, reducing carbon emissions and supporting the local economy. The Da Quebrada school restaurant offers gastronomic events with performances by peripheral groups and artists in the heart of Vila Madalena, promoting interaction and social development, and local and international tourism, promoting events related to sustainability and socio-environmental impacts.
*Águia Branca Group - Espírito Santo, with the initiative:
Águia Branca Environmental Reserve: environmental conservation, education and sustainable tourism in the Capixaba Mountains
The Águia Branca Environmental Reserve is dedicated to the conservation of the biodiversity of the Atlantic Forest in the Capixaba Mountains. With an educational approach based on innovation, affective communication and engagement of people for sustainability, the Reserve holds cultural events, social projects, scientific research and promotes local development in partnership with Eco Lodge Natureza, universities and renowned socio-environmental institutions.
*Vida Caboca Experiences - PARÁ, with the initiative:
Cocoa and Chocolate Bioeconomy
Vida Caboca Turismo takes you on a journey full of food culture and ancestral knowledge. Discover examples of sustainable entrepreneurship and learn about how to transform organic cocoa beans into chocolate. There are 4 hours of activities navigating rivers and streams, entering the Amazon rainforest to understand how cocoa arrived naturally on Combu Island hundreds of years ago. We will go hiking, taste exclusive recipes and learn how to make our rustic 100% cocoa bar, wrapped in a natural cocoa leaf.
Source: BRAZTOA.