Brazil: several prizes awarded to ISTO members.

On December 4 in Belo Horizonte - Minas Gerais, the Brazilian Ministry of Tourism gave the "National Tourism Award 2019".

This award, organized into 11 categories, aims to identify, recognize and reward outstanding tourism initiatives that have innovated or worked proactively for the development of tourism in Brazil. In addition to this recognition, it is planned to disseminate and replicate these initiatives in other Brazilian destinations, in order to contribute to improving tourism conditions in their territory. It is understood that recognition generates commitment and action in favour of the development of the sector in Brazil. The award is organized into 11 categories:

• Strengthening Integrated and Decentralised Tourism Management
• Data management and monitoring in Tourism
• Awareness, qualification, certification and formalization of tourism
• Enhancement of the Cultural Heritage for Tourism
• Enhancement of the Natural Heritage for Tourism
• Community tourism
• Production associated with Tourism
• Technology in Tourism
• Tourism Marketing and Marketing
• Improving the business environment and the attractiveness of investments
• Social tourism

The Servicio Social do Comércio - Sesc, member of ISTO, was awarded in 3 of these categories:

• Polo Socioambiental Sesc Pantanal (Sesc Pantanal Socio-Environmental Centre): 1st place in the category Enhancement of Natural Heritage for Tourism
• Sesc Roraima: 2nd place in the Community Tourism category, with the initiative "Community Tourism Tours". This project was funded by Sesc DN.
• Sesc Rio Grande do Sul (Sesc RS): 3rd place in the Social Tourism category, with the project "Férias imperdíveis" ("Holidays not to be missed").

For full details on the winning projects, you can consult this document from the Ministry of Tourism of Brazil: http://www.turismo.gov.br/images/Premio-Nacional-do-Turismo-2019 It should also be noted that although it did not receive any awards this year, Sesc Minas Gerais (Sesc MG), a member of ISTO, saw its project reach the final. Congratulations to all these ISTO members who received these various awards!