The tenth Skål International “Sustainable Development in Tourism Awards” ceremony was held during the Opening Ceremony of the 72nd Skål World Congress held in Turku (Finland), on 19th September 2011 and we were delighted when Gamewatchers Safaris was announced as the winner in the category of Tour Operators & Travel Agents, for our support of sustainable tourism developments in Kenya through community-owned wildlife conservancies and our Porini Camps concept.

The trophies were presented by the President of Skål International, Tony Boyle, and the award was received on behalf of Gamewatchers Safaris and Porini Camps by Lucy Makumbi-Macridis, President of Skål International Nairobi.

This was a win for Kenya out of over 400 entrants from 18 different countries (four from Africa, seven from Asia, eleven from Europe, seven from North America, three from Central America and one from South America).

Skål International started the awards programme in 2002 to recognise companies contributing to sustainable developments in tourism and thereby to encourage the conservation of the environment and to help promote the development of responsible and sustainable tourism.

Skål, founded in 1934, is the largest organisation of travel and tourism professionals in the world. It is the only association which embraces all sectors of the travel and tourism industry, in five Continents, 90 Countries and at over 500 locations, with 20,000 members from hoteliers to travel agents; airline, maritime, waterways, railway and coach transportation companies, tourism media, tourism academies and official tourism promotion bodies, etc.