THE COUNTDOWN IS ON FOR KENYA’S ECO WARRIOR AWARDS 2014
(Posted 07th October 2014)
It is just two days to go now until this year’s Eco Warriors’ will be known in the 14 categories available for awards and it is time to let the readers have the finalists in the various fields.
These are normally tightly guarded secrets and there will be no preview as to who will walk away from the Gala Night at the Carnivore Grounds on the evening of the 09th, as the winners like the readers must wait for them to be called up to the podium and handed their well deserved trophies in what will arguably be tourism’s hottest night of the year in Nairobi.
A few tickets, it is understood, are still to be had for the event and who would want to miss being there to witness the winners’ parade at the end of the night, Kenya’s most ecofriendly operations across the board, Kenya’s finest and surely one of the reasons why so many are subscribed to the phrase ‘
Final list of Shortlisted Nominees for 2014 Eco Warrior Awards
1. Conservancy of the Year 2014 – Private (sponsored by Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association)
a) Borana Conservancy
b) Ol Pejeta Conservancy
2. Conservancy of the Year 2014 – Community (Sponsored by Laikipia Wildlife Forum)
a) Namunyak Wildlife Conservation Trust
b) Ngare Ndare Forest Trust
3. Ecotourism Enterprise of the Year 2014 – Lodge(Sponsored by Kenya Tourism Board)
a) Keekorok Lodge
b) Severin Sea Lodge
c) Tawi Lodge
4. Ecotourism Enterprise of the Year 2014 – Tented Camp (Sponsored by Tourism Fund)
a) Encounter Mara Camp
b) Kiboko Luxury Camp
c) Sanctuary Olonana
5. Ecotourism Enterprise of the Year 2014 – Community Based Enterpise (Sponsored by Ecotourism Kenya)
a) Mlilo Community Tours and Safaris
b) Ngare Ndare Forest Trust
6. Ecotourism Enterprise of the Year 2014 – Tours and Travel (Sponsored by Kenya Association of Tour Operators)
a) Mlilo Community Tours and Safaris
b) Kobo Safaris Ltd
c) UNIGLOBE Let’s Go Travel
7. Ecotourism Enterprise of the Year 2014 – Airline(Sponsored by Sun Africa Hotels)
a) Airkenya Express
b) Safarilink Aviation
8. Eco-Rated Facility of the Year 2014(Sponsored by African Wildlife Foundation)
a) Basecamp Masai Mara
b) Kicheche Laikipia Camp
c) Kicheche Mara Camp
d) Medina Palms
e) Sasaab Lodge
f) Turtle Bay Beach Club
9. Ecotourism Partnership of the Year 2014: Community-Investor (Sponsored by African Conservation Centre)
a) Kobo Safaris
b) Medina Palms
c) Ol Kinyei – Porini Mara
d) Westgate Community Conservancy-Sasaab Lodge
10. Ecotourism Guide of the Year 2014(Sponsored by Kenya Wildlife Trust)
a) Daniel Kasoo – The Safari Collection
b) Micah Kaleku – Kicheche Camps
c) Onesmus ole Irungu – Rekero Camp
d) Wilson ole Kasaine – Porini Safari Camps
11. Ecotourism Journalist of the Year 2014 (Sponsored by Go Places)
a) Fleur Ng’weno – Nature Kenya
b) Nyambega Gisesa – Standard Group
12. Ecotourism Student Innovation Award 2014(Sponsored by Mahali Mzuri – Virgin)
a) Frankline Mogoi – Kenyatta University
b) Ummi Mohamed Njoka – Kenyatta University
13. Ecotourism Training Program of the Year 2014(Sponsored by AFEW)
a) Dedan Kimathi University – Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management
b) Maseno University – Dept. of Ecotourism, Hotel & Institution Management
14. Ecotourism Student Host Organization of the Year 2014(Sponsored by Ecotourism Kenya)
a) LUMO Community Wildlife Sanctuary
b) Mlilo Community Tours & Safaris
Names like Ol Pejeta, Ngare Ndare Forest Trust, Kiboko Luxury Camp, Kicheche Camps, Safarilink and Porini, to just highlight a few personally known and checked out by this correspondent, already signal how tough a job the judges this year have and to be included in the finals certainly is in itself a seal of approval for the companies, organizations and individuals named.
But at the end of the evening everyone attending can be a winner as a host of raffle prizes awaits to be won, with flights across Kenya, accommodation and meals in some of Kenya’s top lodges, resorts and tented safari camps.
So time to make up one’s mind it is and the remaining tickets should be snapped up no doubt fast – and can be booked via http://ecotourismkenya.org/award/index.php – See you at the Carnivore, which, apart from the corridors of MKTE 2014 may be the one and only chance for readers to finally meet and greet.
2 Responses
Strange how Cottar’s is not nominated when we have achieved GLobal Ecosphere Retreat ( GER) this year – the toughest environmental accreditation process in the world; have been awarded gold level Eco tourism certification; have pioneered and worked for 13 years to create two wildlife conservancies in the toughest community and social environments in kenya where the transition of land ownership from government control to localized ownership is still not completed making enforceable land use decisions almost impossible to achieve.. And these are exactly the areas of Kenya where wildlife is most at risk from unplanned farming, developments and uncontrolled resource extraction (charcoal, bush meat etc.). Our work has taken long to achieve (and still is in the works) in comparison to other conservancy developments but our approach is far more relevant (and replicable) to the rest of the countries land that has not yet achieved local ownership status… I guess we at cottars need to shout louder, lobby harder and market our conservation philosophy more wisely to be included in next years list !
Yes, that is strange but then, C&P are apparently also ‘awol’ as is Serena … well, as you say, lobby harder and I will be happy to ‘lend my pen’ to accomplish that, for the awards and all else