Fedhasa Imvelo Awards continues to raise environmental issues

The Imvelo Responsible Tourism awards, a Federated Hospitality Industry of South Africa (Fedhasa) initiative now in its 13th year is proud to continue raising awareness around environmental management issues in the industry.

According to Rob Kucera, Fedhasa chairman and Imvelo Awards custodian, this is the second year that the awards model has been adapted to recognise both large and small players who are contributing holistic business practices to the tourism industry.

“In collaboration with the National Department of Tourism among others, we agreed that the greatest contribution we could make to the industry was levelling the playing field for different size operators within the same category. By allowing both large and small operators to win by not competing against each other, but rather with like-sized businesses we hope to give hard working and innovative business an equal opportunity to participate,” he concluded.

Fedhasa Cape would like to congratulate finalists from the Western and Northern Cape Provinces in both the large and small business finalists within the following categories:

1. Best Social Involvement Programme (large business category) was awarded to  Grootbos Private Nature Reserve and Peninsula All-Suite hotel for the integration of its activities with its local community;
2. Best Single Resource Management Programme had three awards in this category, one each for
   1. Water management (large business category) which was awarded to ATKV Goudini Spa
   2. Energy management (large business category) which was awarded to Beacon Island Resort
   3. Waste management (large business category) which was awarded to ATKV Goudini Spa and Southern Sun Newlands (small business category).
   4. Best Overall Environmental Management System (large business category) was awarded to Hotel Verde and Spier Wine Farm and was judged on the effect that a business has on its local community
   5. Best Economic Impact (large business category) was awarded to Aquila Private Game Reserve and was judged on the extent to which a business has addressed the issues of empowerment
   6. Finally, the Investor In People Award (large business category) was awarded to The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa and was judged on the extent to how a business has taken practical steps to develop the human resource component of their business.

This year’s final ceremony will be held on Thursday 9 October, together with the National Lilizela Awards, in Gauteng.

For further information on these awards and to register for your Responsible Tourism business for the 2015 awards, visit www.imveloawards.co.za