This was the fifth time that myclimate awarded prizes at the leading tourism exhibition, <link www.itb-berlin.com - external-link "Opens external link in current window">ITB</link>, to companies that are taking a pioneering role when it comes to climate protection. 2016's winners are: <link www.aer.coop - external-link "Opens external link in current window">AER Cooperation</link>, <link www.dreamtime.ch - external-link "Opens external link in current window">Dreamtime Travel</link>, Software provider <link umbrella.ch - external-link "Opens external link in current window">Umbrella</link> and the <link youthhostel.ch/en/home - external-link "Opens external link in current window">Swiss Youth Hostels</link>.
Swiss Youth Hostels received their second award in the hotel segment as “Pioneers for integrated climate protection”. Climate protection is an integral part of their booking process, and around 60% of the guests make use of this. The proceeds from this flow into international myclimate climate protection projects as well as internal measures for reducing the carbon footprints of the individual hostels.
The award in the category “Innovator in the area of travel agency cooperation” was bestowed upon the climate initiative of the AER working partnership. The Swiss travel agent Dreamtime Travel was awarded for its commitment as a "Pioneer for climate-aware travel management“. The software developer Umbrella received the “Pioneer infrastructure” award for the integration of carbon offsetting into its business processes.
The award-ceremony was conducted by myclimate Germany CEO Stefan Baumeister following the panel discussion on “The Paris agreement and its impacts on the tourism sector”. The top-class round-table consisted of Franzjosef Schafhausen from the <link www.bmub.bund.de/en/ - external-link "Opens external link in current window">Federal Ministry for the Environment</link>, Wybcke Meyer, CEO of <link en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TUI_Cruises - external-link "Opens external link in current window">TUI Cruises GmbH</link>, Peter-Mario Kubsch, CEO of <link www.studiosus.com - external-link "Opens external link in current window">Studiosus Reisen GmbH </link>and Stefan Baumeister.