Capilano University's community based tourism (CBT) project in Vietnam has won a prestigious Sustainable Tourism Award from Skål International, a professional organization of tourism leaders from around the world. Cap U Bachelor of Tourism Management alumni Jase Wilson accepted the award for Educational Institutions/Programmes and Media in Monaco on October 31, 2016.
Capilano University Bachelor of Tourism Management alumni Jase Wilson (centre) accepts the University's Sustainable Tourism Award from Skål International vice-presidents, Susanna Saari and David Fisher, in Monaco on October 31, 2016.
The CBT Vietnam project has been working to help residents of Northern Vietnam's Sapa region develop tourism offerings that sustain their culture since 2002. Cap U students and faculty have trained local Vietnamese tour guides, helped hill tribe women establish 40 homestay businesses and have worked with Hanoi Open University on programs that build and strengthen the capacity of local ethnic minorities, small business owners, village government and communities as a whole.
The Skål award is one of multiple honours the CBT Vietnam project has received. The project won a Grand Award for Education from the Pacific Asia Travel Association, received an honourable mention from the United Nations Environment Program and was featured in 2015 by Wild Asia as one of the 10 most inspiring responsible tourism initiatives of the last decade in Asia. Documentary films about the project made by Cap U Bachelor of Motion Picture Arts graduate Kyle Sandilands continue to receive awards.
Watch the CBT Vietnam award-winning films at www.cbtvietnam.com/videos.
For more information
2055 Purcell Way
North Vancouver British Columbia
Canada V7J 3H5
www.capilanou.ca/
