MIAMI, May 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Carnival
Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), the world's
largest leisure travel company, today congratulated its partner,
The Nature Conservancy, for receiving the Tourism for Tomorrow
Innovation Award at the World Tourism and Travel Council (WTTC)'s
annual Global Summit in Bangkok,
Thailand.
The WTTC's Tourism for Tomorrow awards recognize best practices
in sustainable tourism. The Innovation Award celebrates initiatives
that use novel techniques to overcome challenges faced by the
travel and tourism sector in implementing sustainability
practices.
With support from Carnival Corporation, scientists with The
Nature Conservancy's Mapping Ocean Wealth project are using the
latest crowdsourcing and data mapping techniques to quantify -- for
the first time – the total and local economic value of the world's
coral reefs to tourism. The project includes an online atlas that
provides maps, marine life databases and other resources that
community and business leaders can access to make educated
ocean-use decisions.
The Nature Conservancy's Mapping Ocean Wealth models indicate
that 70 million trips annually to the world's coral reefs generate
an estimated economic value of $36
billion.
"It is clear that the tourism industry depends on coral reefs,
but now, more than ever, these fragile and beautiful organisms are
depending on the tourism industry," said Dr. Robert Brumbaugh, director of ocean planning and
protection for The Nature Conservancy. "Armed with
geographic-specific information, available through the Mapping
Ocean Wealth project that has been made possible through our
supportive partners like Carnival Corporation, governments can take
steps to promote the expansion of tourism in harmony with the
environment, and businesses can make smart investments that take
into account both business goals and protecting our natural
systems."
"Protecting the environment, including the world's coral reefs,
is a top corporate priority for our company, which operates 10
cruise brands and 103 ships traveling the world's oceans and seas
and visiting more than 700 ports of call," said Roger Frizzell, chief communications officer for
Carnival Corporation, which oversees the Carnival Foundation. As
part of its 2020 sustainability goals, Carnival Corporation is
providing, through the Carnival Foundation, a $2.5 million gift over five years to The Nature
Conservancy.
Frizzell continued: "Our donation to The Nature Conservancy, as
well as other leading environmental groups, underscores our
commitment to sustainable tourism around the world. We congratulate
The Nature Conservancy on developing the innovative and now
award-winning Mapping Ocean Wealth project, which we are proud to
support."
In addition to the mapping efforts globally, Carnival
Corporation's support of The Nature Conservancy has provided
decision makers with new and comprehensive data about coral reef
conditions throughout the Caribbean. Research has tracked the success of
conservation efforts tied to coral reefs and provided new maps of
fish production connected to Caribbean mangrove growth.
Carnival Corporation's five-year gift has also helped The Nature
Conservancy to launch an Atlas of Ocean Wealth – the largest
collection to date of information about the economic, social and
cultural values of coastal and marine habitats from all over the
world. It is supported by multiple international online tools,
detailed maps, marine life databases and other resources to educate
and inspire community leaders engaged in ocean planning.
Last year, Carnival Corporation continued to show its support by
hosting The Nature Conservancy's 2016 Mapping Ocean Wealth
conference at its Miami corporate
headquarters. At that conference, conservationists and
decision-makers from around the world gathered to discuss ocean
sustainability initiatives.
The WTTC's Tourism for Tomorrow awards for sustainable tourism
initiatives are judged by a panel of independent experts. This
year's awards, presented in five categories on April 27in
Bangkok, coincided with the United
Nations' World Travel Organization (UNWTO) proclaiming 2017 the
International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, marking
a global commitment to support changes in policies, business
practices and consumer behavior towards sustainable goals.
About The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is
a leading conservation organization working around the world to
protect the lands and waters on which all life depends. Together
with its more than 1 million members and 600 scientists, the
Conservancy has protected 120 million acres of land and 5,000 miles
of rivers worldwide, and operates more than 100 marine conservation
projects globally. The Nature Conservancy works on the ground in
all 50 U.S. states and in more than 69 countries. To learn more,
visit www.nature.org.
About the World Travel & Tourism Council
(WTTC)
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) was
formed in 1991 by a group of Travel & Tourism CEOs who felt
that the sector's contribution to economies and job creation was
not being recognized. Its objectives were to use empirical evidence
to promote awareness of Travel & Tourism's economic
contribution; to expand markets in harmony with the environment;
and to reduce barriers to growth. Members include chief executives
of more than 140 of the world's leading Travel & Tourism
companies.
About Carnival Foundation
Carnival Foundation
supports hundreds of organizations annually with primary funding
focused in the areas of the arts, human needs, education, health
and the environment. Following the example set by Carnival
Corporation's founder, the late Ted
Arison, and continued by his son Micky, Chairman of the
Board of Carnival Corporation, Carnival Foundation endeavors to
make South Florida and other
communities better places to live and work. For more information
visit www.carnivalfoundation.com.
About Carnival Corporation & plc
Carnival
Corporation & plc is the largest leisure travel company in the
world, with a portfolio of 10 cruise brands in North America, Europe, Australia and
Asia comprising Carnival Cruise Line, Fathom, Holland
America Line, Princess Cruises, Seabourn, AIDA Cruises, Costa
Cruises, Cunard, P&O Cruises (Australia) and P&O Cruises (UK).
Together, these brands operate 103 ships visiting over 700 ports
around the world and totaling 231,000 lower berths with 17 new
ships scheduled to be delivered between 2018 and
2022. Carnival Corporation & plc also operates
Holland America Princess Alaska Tours, the leading tour companies
in Alaska and the Canadian Yukon. Traded on both the New
York and London Stock Exchanges, Carnival Corporation
& plc is the only group in the world to be included in
both the S&P500 and the FTSE 100 indices.
In 2017, Fast Company recognized Carnival
Corporation as being among the "Top 10 Most Innovative
Companies" in both the design and travel categories. Fast
Company specifically recognized Carnival
Corporation for its work in developing Ocean Medallion™, a
high-tech wearable device that enables the world's first
interactive guest experience platform capable of transforming
vacation travel into a highly personalized and elevated level of
customized service.
Additional information can be found on www.carnival.com,
www.fathom.org, www.hollandamerica.com, www.princess.com,
www.seabourn.com, www.aida.de, www.costacruise.com, www.cunard.com,
www.pocruises.com.au, and www.pocruises.com.
To view the original version on PR Newswire,
visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/carnival-corporation-environmental-partner-wins-top-travel-innovation-award-300454978.html
SOURCE Carnival Corporation & plc