| MEXICO CITY -- To celebrate World
Environment Day, Planeta.com presents the second annual
Colibri Ecotourism
Award to Mexican ecotourism pioneer Marlene
Ehrenberg.
A Planeta.com writer and frequent contributor to the Mexico
Ecotourism Network, Marlene receives the Colibri ('Hummingbird')
Award, which includes a $1,000 cash prize, underwritten by Canyon
Travel, a prominent North American ecotourism operator. The United Nations celebrates World Environment Day each year
on June 5 as a way to stimulate worldwide awareness of the
environment and enhance political attention and action.
2002 was the International
Year of Ecotourism and the year in which the United Nations
focused on water
issues.
ABOUT THE COLIBRI AWARD
First presented in 2001, the Colibri Ecotourism Award
is presented to a leading authority at the vanguard of ecotourism.
We recognize that ecotourism
depends on the leadership of individuals who are resourceful
and innovative. To honor the pioneers in this field, we pay
our respect via the Colibri Ecotourism Award.
Ecotourism depends on the leadership of individuals who are
bold enough to bridge the traditional divisions between tourism
and the environment. The decision of who wins the Colibri is
made by Planeta.com Webhost Ron Mader with consultation from
members of the Mexico
Ecotourism Network, including Hector Ceballos Lascurain,
Verena Gerber and Fernando Garcia Aguinaco.
CRITERIA
Planeta.com presents the Colibri
Ecotourism Award to those whose work in Mexico
is exemplary and who share what they learn. Good ideas require
good work to come to completion and good work needs to be documented
so that lessons can be shared.
Nominees participate by helpful edits, connecting using Web
2.0, Planeta Wiki
or contribute editorial suggestions for at least a year. Bonus
points are given to those who participate on other websites
and forums. This is part of Planeta.com's desire to create incentives
for communication,
collaboration
and continuity,
all vital elements in the development of responsible
travel and ecotourism.
WINNER
Marlene Ehrenberg
was selected because of 30+ year career as a tourism designer
linking environmental and cultural issues. Today, she speaks
at universities and tourism conferences and is developing Mariposa
del Agua, a water-savings program for hotels.
Ehrenberg was one of the original co-founders of Amtave, Mexico's
national association for ecotourism and adventure travel.
"By recognizing the vision and the achievements of ecotourism
pioneers, the Colibri Award pays an overdue homage to those
whose work celebrates the intersection of conservation ethics
and responsible tourism," said Mader.
"Marlene Ehrenberg's in-depth perspective in tourism elevates
her profession to a true knowledge learning experience," said
Canyon Travel President Emilio Kifuri. "It was her professionalism
that helped influence the Mexico Government to recognize ecotourism
as an evolutional development in tourism worth pursuing. Marlene's
knowledgable work and dedicated persistance is admirable and
we congratulate her for being selected as the recepient of the
2002 Colibri Award."
MORE ABOUT THE WINNER
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Rebozo
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