Up-to-date reports about sustainable tourism, in-depth background information, analyses on developments in tourism, information on foreign countries as well as hands-on advice and information on fair travel - the internet platform fairunterwegs.org provides all that in a concise and informative way. The website was initiated by the "arbeitskreis tourismus & entwicklung (akte)" (working group on tourism and development) and launched in autumn 2006. The Swiss non-profit company has already been involved in fair and sustainable tourism for 38 years. The German Travel Association (DRV) awards its sustainability prize EcoTrophea 2015 to "akte" for its internet platform fairunterwegs.org. On this platform holidaymakers find all the necessary information they need to plan and book their travels and en route.
According to "akte", more and more people want to combine the pleasures of travel with fairness. On fairunterwegs.org, holidaymakers find useful information on how fair travel contributes to people's wellbeing at their holiday destinations, what they have to look out for when booking and how they can find sustainable travel products.
"By awarding the EcoTrophea to "akte", we are pointing out the initiative's long-standing commitment to sustainable developments in tourism," says Andreas Müseler, Chairman of the DRV Sustainability Committee, about the jury's decision. "On fairunterwegs.org, the organization provides various background information on the effects of tourism on the economy, the society, human rights and the environment at tourist destinations. At the same time, it provides people from these regions an opportunity to make their voices heard with travellers and the industry, suggesting actions for a respectful and fair exchange."
On November 20, 2015, at its Annual Convention in Lisbon, the DRV has awarded this year's prize and the EcoTrophea sculpture to Ms Christine Plüss, akte's managing director. It is the 29th time that the leading industry association is awarding the international prize to exemplary and sustainable initiatives from around the world.
This year's winner of EcoTrophea was chosen by a jury composed of the following six experts: Mathias Beyer (mascontour), Jan-Ole Jacobs (Deutsche Lufthansa), Prof. Dr. Edgar Kreilkamp (Leuphana Universität Lüneburg), Walter Krombach (Willy Scharnow-Stiftung für Touristik), Andreas Müseler (Chairman DRV Sustainability Committee), Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Strasdas (Hochschule für nachhaltige Entwicklung Eberswalde).
Background information: Each year the DRV awards the EcoTrophea to exemplary initiatives in tourism that are committed to environmental protection and social responsibility in holiday destinations. This year again, the DRV received innovative and sustainable entries from around the globe - from Anguilla to Namibia. For an overview of the entries please refer to 
www.ecotrophea.de