Tourism Flanders awards region’s most inspiring projects

The biggest prize of the night, for Best Holidaymaker, went to Nicole Vande Putte, the driving force for more than 40 years behind the non-profit Sogeha, which organises holidays for underprivileged youngsters. Best Tourism Ambassador this year is Antwerp city guide Tanguy Ottomer.

The prize for most innovative tourist product went to the Backstay Hostel in Ghent (pictured), which is installed in the former offices of Socialist newspaper Vooruit. According to the jury, the hostel is particularly noteworthy for its strong digital presence, including on social media.

Ghent’s Design Museum, meanwhile, carried out the best marketing campaign, titled No Design to Waste, for the exhibition Out to Sea? The Plastic Garbage Project. 

In the category of Best Socially Responsible Enterprise, the award went to Botel Ophoven – a renovated cargo ship in Limburg. The owners integrate sustainability in all aspects of their boat hotel and other activities, such as boat rides using electric boats.

The prize for best Belgian TV Report went to the producers of Vlaanderen Vakantieland, while the prize for International Press Coverage went to reporters with the culinary magazine Jamie – the Russian version of the magazine of the well-known British chef Jamie Oliver. Liudmila Nikitina and Ekaterina Demina wrote an article for Jamie about Antwerp’s food culture. 

The Green Key international eco-label, which rewards tourism initiatives for their environmental  efforts, revealed that the Brussels hotels Silken Berlaymont and the Hilton Brussels City have each received the label.

Silken Berlaymont is rewarded for its waste management, energy-saving measures and promotion of “green package” activities, like tours on foot or by bike. Hilton Brussels City takes up its social responsibility by helping homeless people, has an ecological energy management system and promotes the extensive sorting of waste.

Twenty-six other tourism establishments have had their eco-labels renewed.

Photo: Backstay Hostel/Facebook