Registration is now open for the Sun&Blue Awards

The Sun&Blue Congress, an international congress on blue tourism and blue economy, will be held in Almería from the 15th to the 17th of November. It is promoted by beon. Worldwide and sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Sports of Andalusia, the City Council of Almería, the Provincial Council of Almería, and the Ministry of Sustainability, Environment, and Blue Economy of Andalusia. The congress is launching its own awards ceremony with the purpose of identifying, assessing, and recognizing the best projects and practices that apply "Blue Tourism" criteria to businesses and public or private organizations. 

The Sun&Blue Awards will be bestowed by a jury composed of members of the Advisory Board and the Technical Committee of the Sun&Blue Congress, as well as distinguished professionals from sectors related to tourism and sustainability, both in the public and private sectors. 

The registration deadline will remain open until October 27th, with the awards ceremony taking place on November 16th at a gala dinner in the cloister of the Almería Cathedral. 

 Categories 

The first edition of the Sun&Blue Awards includes a total of seven categories: 

Best Blue Beach Tourism Experience 2023: This award is aimed at the beach, destination, or company that has created the most exceptional and memorable experience with sustainability criteria for visitors in a coastal environment. It recognizes the quality of those services and activities that promote sustainable beach tourism.  

Best Destination Management in 2023: This award highlights the outstanding management of tourist destinations in terms of promotion, planning, and sustainability. It rewards the government entity, organization, or company that has significantly contributed to the development and success of a tourist destination. 

Intelligent Hotel Innovation 2023: Recognizes hotels, hotel chains, or management platforms that have exceptionally implemented smart and sustainable technologies to enhance guest experiences, optimize management, and reduce environmental impact. 

Accessibility in 2023: Intended for destinations, companies, or tourism services that have stood out in creating an accessible environment for people with disabilities, promoting inclusion in blue tourism and ensuring an enjoyable destination experience. 

Sustainability in 2023: This award recognizes companies, destinations, or initiatives that have demonstrated exemplary commitment to environmental and social sustainability in the realm of blue tourism. It rewards practices and projects contributing to the conservation of marine ecosystems and the well-being of local communities. 

Marine Gastronomic Innovation in 2023: Awarded to restaurants, chefs, or culinary projects that have excelled in creativity and in promoting gastronomy based on sustainable marine products. 

Port and Cruise Industry Innovation in 2023: Recognizes innovation in port management and the cruise industry, honoring activations that have improved efficiency, safety, sustainability, and customer experience in ports and cruises. 

Participation Guidelines 

Those interested in participating in the Sun&Blue Congress Awards should visit https://sunandbluecongress.com/en/awards and complete an online form for each project or nomination, specifying the category. 

Applicants should also attach a project dossier using the provided template to present detailed information for evaluation by the judging panel. An optional 1-minute explanatory video of the project can also be included. Elements emphasizing the sustainability of the initiative will be specially considered. 

In order to be selected for any of the awards in this competition, participants must be a legally constituted company, public institution, or private entity located within the European Union. 

Each company, public entity, or institution may submit a maximum of one project or experience per category. 

It is essential that the initiatives applied were developed within the 24 months prior to the call date (October 2023). 

 Awards Calendar 

The registration deadline is on October 27th, 2023, at 11:59 PM. The announcement of the finalists for each category will happen on November 3rd, 2023. The awards presentation will take place on November 16th, 2023, at 9:00 PM, in person, coinciding with the Sun&Blue Congress Gala Dinner at the cloister of Almería Cathedral.