Swedish Ecotourism Society: Nature's Best Wins WWF Prize

WWF Carl Mannerfelt Prize

The Ecotourism Society of Sweden has been awarded the 2011 WWF Carl Mannerfelt Prize for its work with sustainable tourism and the Nature's Best quality mark. The prize, which was awarded for the final time last year, is aimed at stimulating sustainable use of natural resources with technical and financial development under the motto, "Conservation and Development".

"We're very pleased and proud about the prize. It's particularly pleasing that our work with sustainable tourism is recognised in this way," says Ulf Lovén, Chairman of the Ecotourism Society of Sweden, which now has over 200 quality-marked Nature's Best activities in Sweden, from Skåne in the very south to Lappland in the far north.

Ecotourism adds to the value of the natural and cultural environment by promoting responsible and sustainable outdoor experiences. It also adds economic value in rural areas, for example, to Sami reindeer herding in the mountains. This is not the first time the Society's groundbreaking work with quality marking has been acknowledged – it has previously won the Great Tourism Prize and the Änglamark Prize.

>> Announcement by Nature's Best

Swedish Ecotourism Society

The Swedish Ecotourism Society is a non-profit national network of nature tour operators, journalists, nature conservation professionals, and other stakeholders promoting ecotourism and the sustainable development of Swedish ecotourism destinations. The Society provides the Nature's Best ecotourism quality label for nature based tourism service providers.

>> View the Swedish Ecotourism Society's member profile

Photo: Staffan Widstrand