The 12 Sustainable Initiatives Awarded to the Horizon Trophy

The Association Acteurs du Tourisme Durable (ATD) has rewarded the most innovative and inspiring initiatives on sustainable tourism. Discover the winners of each Horizons 2022 Trophy category.

With more than 2 billion international tourists planned by 2030, the tourism industry must evolve towards a more ecological and sustainable policy. It is in this context that the Association Acteurs du Tourisme Durable (ATD) works by bringing together more than two hundred structures involved in responsible tourism. This year, the association launched the first Horizon Trophies a award ceremony to reward innovative initiatives and inspiring actions in sustainable tourism.

Supported by the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs and the ADEME (Environmental and Energy Control Agency), the event aims to encourage tourism actors to engage in a responsible cause. Last June, this first award was awarded no less than 12 awards.

Nomade Adventure – Mobility

It is thanks to its range of travel by train to Europe only Nomade Aventure was rewarded for the category of mobility. Indeed, the agency has been able to duplicate its best travel sales in Europe, so far only available by plane, by train.

Thus, Nomade Aventure, the first winner of the Horizons 2022 Trophies has worked extensively to reduce the carbon consumption of its customers, while continuing to offer an ever-more interesting travel opportunity. It is therefore now possible to discover all of Europe by travelling in a “low-carbon” way. Anne-Lise Olivier, ATD coordinator, wished to emphasize the inspiring side of this initiative.

Union mixte Canigó Grand Site – Responsible management of tourism flows

For this category aimed at rewarding actors promoting a suitable distribution of visitors in time and space, it is the Union mixte Canigó Grand Site which was imposed. Indeed, the latter worked to limit, throughout the year, the motorized fluxes on the northern slope of the Canigou massif.

The union, a neo-winner of the Horizon Trophies, thus participated in the protection of a large part of the Pyrenees and in the valorization of its heritage.

Vaolo - Young shoot

It is for his Academy Experience Vaolo France that Vaolo , online tourism platform, becomes winner of the Horizon Trophies in the Young Pousse category. His purpose? Train tomorrow's travellers to become real explorers and make them involved in environmental backup.

Thus, Vaolo is set as a mission to inspire change through travel and encounter. By forming new curious and eager explorers to create a better world, she would like to act on collective unconsciousness, changing travel habits in a general way.

Comité Régional du Tourisme et des Loisirs d’Occitanie – Nearby tourism

With an ambitious and perfectly managed project, it is the Comité Régional du Tourisme et des Loisirs d’Occitanie who became, last June, the winner of the category of year Horizons 2022 Trophies. Indeed, the Occitane region has put in place, since 2020, the Occ’ygen system, a map allowing the inhabitants of the region to better discover it.

This map offers a wide range of discounts on several hundred leisure activities, stays and accommodations in the region. Here, the goal of the committee is to help the largest number of people in Occitania, especially families with modest incomes, to fully benefit from the wealth of their region. At all, by coming thus to support the tourism professionals of Occitania, heavily weakened by the health crisis.

Office de tourisme de la vallée de la Bruche – Local anchorage

At the heart of this category highlighting the involvement of the premises for the tourism development of their region, Office de tourisme de la vallée de la Bruche was able to draw his pin from the game to become one of the winners of the Horizons 2022 Trophy.

Thanks to its "Les Sentiers Plaisir" initiative, the inhabitants of the Vallée de la Bruche will reveal the wonders and secrets of their region to tourists this year. These 60 volunteers will accompany the holidaymakers wishing him to discover the heritage of the region while accommodating them the legends of the surrounding area.

FALEPA – Circular economy and waste management

Every year in Corsica, more than 14,000 tons of plastic waste are to be deplored, and no less than 50% are from tourism. It is from this postulate that FALEPA , an association engaged in recycling, has been able to rally the various groups of the Corsican tourist sector to collect together plastic wastes, including caps.

FALEPA thus became the winner of the Horizons 2022 Trophies in this ecological category, while promoting the social and professional integration of the most in difficulty audiences.

Provence Tourisme – Responsible organization

The association Provence Tourisme won the trophy in the category "Organization Responsible", thanks to its Youth Employment Tourism (JET). Created in 2017, these days aim to raise awareness of the young generation in the tourism sector, especially in the restoration.

For three days, about 200 collegiates from a dozen establishments of the department can then in turn become a receptionist, an in-room employee or chef. The goal? Discover the hotel complex and make some young people discover their potential vocation.

Bird Protection League – Conservation of biodiversity and natural resources

Among the 12 winners of the Horizons 2022 Awards are the Bird Protection League . Indeed, in this category focused on biodiversity conservation, LPO France was awarded for its Biodiv’Sports project.

The latter tries to raise awareness among the sporting and socio-professional sectors about wildlife conservation issues, while developing an online database that incorporates sensitive areas for environmental conservation. This database is finally shared with sports and tourism applications (VisoRando, Geotrek, AllTrails...) so that nature sports practitioners can act on their scales.

Relais Thalasso Ile-de-Ré – Responsible food

This is the Relais Thalasso Ile-de-Ré who became the winner of the Horizons 2022 Trophies in the category "Head Food"! Indeed, the complex, under the leadership of its director, Sylvain Morin, has taken an eco-responsible approach since 2020.

Its restaurant, the Atalante, has just obtained the Greenfood label. The latter allows customers to identify and find the addresses of restaurants and Chefs engaged in sustainable development. Thus, young Chef Christophe Tremine, at the command of a brigade of about 15 people, is working to offer creative cuisine from the sea, while respecting three important aspects: using fresh, local and seasonal products.

Union Nationale des Associations de Tourisme du Pays de la Loire – Tourism for all

L’ Union National des Associations de Tourisme du Pays de la Loire was awarded during the award ceremony of the last Horizon Trophies in the category of Tourism for All. It was thanks to its initiative, called “Group’AVelo”, that the association was able to win this award.

Group’AVelo is a network of associative accommodations in the Pays de la Loire, allowing stays in multiple rooms in accommodations of type villages holidays, holiday centres, youth hostels... with each of its characteristics (life of castle, sea view, sports center).

In addition to allowing many groups to stay easily during their trips, the advantages of this initiative are other. Indeed, the benefits of these accommodations are also set aside in their associative project, and can thus be used to organize a holiday for families who cannot afford it.

Holiday homes Bon Air – Energy control

It is the group Gîtes Bon Air which was elected the winner of the Horizon Trophies in the category “Energy Mastery”. Thanks to a tourist complex composed of fully eco-designed and eco-built accommodations. All the chalets on the site are therefore bioclimatic, and welcome tourists in the greatest respect for the environment and accessibility for all deficiencies.

In addition, the electricity of the site is 100% from renewable energy, and the chalets are equipped with charging plugs for electric cars. Thus, the whole complex masters its energy ratio, for a largely reduced consumption.

Special Jury Award

For this first edition of the Horizon Trophies, the jury’s prize turned to a bold, ambitious but successful initiative: that of a 100% electric diving catamaran. Named e-Sperança, the boat takes the club divers every day The Paradise of the Bubbles offshore, in a totally silent and ocean-friendly navigation.

If three years of work were needed to build such a boat, it is still proof that a “green” navigation is possible, and could revolutionize the marine world.

Not awarded

If the category “Special Jury Award” was created at the last minute to reward an inspiring initiative, another category did not see a successful winner. Indeed, the category “Adapting to Climate Change and Resilience”, due to lack of relevant initiatives, did not find a winner this year.

According to Caroline Mignon, president of ATD, it was important for the association that projects are easily replicable by other tourism actors. Thus, the association preferred not to award this prize, but to award it by default.

With a total of 140 participatory files received for this first edition of the Horizon Trophies, the president of the association is delighted with the enthusiasm around sustainable tourism. Thus, a second edition in 2023 could soon be formalized.