GROUND Asia Recognized in 2019
Global Youth Travel Awards
Asia educational travel specialist a finalist for Best Sustainable Organization and Best Social Responsibility Initiative
Helping young people to travel responsibly is a key facet of GROUND Asia’s work. [Download these images and this release in Word and Text formats here]
The awards recognize outstanding performers in 14 fields of international youth travel. The awards put the spotlight on excellence among World Youth & Student Education Travel Confederation (WYSETC) members and other stakeholders in the youth, student and educational travel industry.
Fifteen judges, vetted for impartiality, chose a total of 30 finalists in ten nominated categories – 28 organizations in total. At the award ceremony in Lisbon on 11 October, winners will be announced for Best Education Abroad Provider, Best Social Responsibility Initiative, Best Sustainable Organization, Best Travel Technology Product, Extraordinary Experience, Best Marketing Campaign, Best Social Space in a Hostel, Best Travel Safety Initiative, Best Work Experience Provider, and Outstanding Volunteer Project.
GROUND Asia, with its head office in Bangkok and operations in six Asian countries, has been nominated as a finalist for Best Social Responsibility Initiative, and Best Sustainable Organization.
A WYSETC statement on the 2019 awards says: “The Best Sustainable Organization category received a large volume of high calibre entries, perhaps not surprising in the age of Greta Thunberg and the global push towards minimizing the impact that we, as travelers, have upon the environment.”
To advance sustainability in educational travel, GROUND Asia has already integrated 14 out of 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals into the community engagement experiences it offers in six Asian countries.
GROUND Asia is also a finalist with its Responsible Traveller Training Program, which is shortlisted in the Best Social Responsibility Initiative category. The open-to-all free training module, which can be used by students, teachers and faculty, addresses pressing issues in community engagement such as responsible photography, child safety in tourism, giving responsibly, and reducing plastic consumption while traveling.
“With the training program, our aim is to inspire and educate a generation of young travelers who will go on to travel responsibly throughout their lives,” says GROUND Asia General Manager Lauren Groves, who is speaking in a session on educating young consumers about responsible travel at WYSTC 2019, which takes place 8-11 October in Lisbon.
On inclusion among the finalists, she adds: “GROUND Asia is humbled to be among the 2019 Global Youth Travel finalists. When we meet, we always inspire each other and learn from one another.”
Winners of the 2019 Global Youth Travel Awards will be announced 11 October at the gala dinner awards ceremony on the final evening of WYSTC 2019.