The World Sustainable Travel & Hospitality Awards (WSTHA) has opened voting for its 2025 programme, following the announcement of this year’s shortlist of nominees.
Source: Shane Reilly via
PexelsThe awards, which aim to spotlight individuals and organisations contributing to net-positive tourism, received a record number of entries for the 2025 cycle.
Selection and criteria
According to WSTHA, submissions were assessed by Sustainable Business students at Nova Business School, with the final shortlist reviewed and approved by the programme’s Advisory Board. Criteria included quantitative and qualitative metrics, international best practice, scalability, partnership, impact, and storytelling.
Voting is open to industry professionals, media, and the public until 30 August. Winners will be determined by the highest number of votes in each category.
New categories added
This year’s programme features 30 categories aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and net-positive tourism pillars: people, planet, place, prosperity, and partnerships.
Nine new categories have been introduced in 2025, including Peace Impact, Food & Nutrition, Guest Experience, and Indigenous Community Tourism.
Gala event in October
The winners will be announced at the second annual WSTHA Gala Ceremony, to be held at Terra, Expo City Dubai, on 29 October 2025.
Justin Cooke, executive vice-president of WSTHA, says: "We’ve been overwhelmed by the engagement in our 2025 programme. The calibre of entrants is exceptional, with many fascinating stories of how they are driving change in sustainable tourism.
"This reflects the growing momentum and innovation behind building a net positive travel industry. I wish all our nominees the best of luck – and don’t forget to cast your vote."
The Awards are run in partnership with the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, representing over 66,000 hotels and 8 million rooms worldwide.
Glenn Mandziuk, CEO of the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, says: "At the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, we’re inspired by the incredible submissions we've received, each one a testament to the innovation and commitment shaping a Net Positive future for our industry.
"As we explore the powerful impact these nominees are making, we encourage everyone to cast their vote and celebrate these outstanding contributions. Wishing all the nominees the very best of luck!"
WSTHA is the sister initiative of the World Travel Awards, which marks its 32nd anniversary this year.
