Promote Shetland – Highlands & Islands Tourism Awards WINNERS November 2022

Blog Post Extracts from Promote Shetland
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By Promote Shetland November 7th 2022

Shetland enjoyed a highly successful night at the Highlands and Islands Tourism Awards as two isles businesses came out on top in their respective categories.

Wild Skies Shetland, based in Unst, won an award in the ‘working together for tourism’ category at the HITA ceremony in Inverness. Shetland Seabird Tours – The Noss Boat, meanwhile, triumphed in the ‘best visitor attraction experience’ category.

A total of four islands businesses were nominated for HITA awards: popular Lerwick restaurant No.88 Kitchen and Bar was highly commended in the ‘best eatery experience’ category, won by Coll Hotel, while Chris Dyer of Garths Croft in Bressay was nominated in the ‘food tourism award’ category, won by distillery Beinn an Tuirc.

“It’s a great result for Shetland, wonderful to see the range of businesses highlighting the diversity and quality of Shetland’s tourism offering.”

Steve Mathieson of Visit Scotland.

VisitScotland’s islands manager for Shetland, Steve Mathieson, said: “It’s a great result for Shetland, wonderful to see the range of businesses highlighting the diversity and quality of Shetland’s tourism offering.

“Just making the shortlist for the final is a great feat in itself, considering the numbers competing in each category, and to have two winners out of our four finalists is something special.

“Wild Skies and Shetland Seabird Tours now go on to the national final in February where we wish them every success.”

Rebecca Nason and Phil Harris of Shetland Seabird Tours, which runs boat trips around the Noss National Nature Reserve and Bressay during the summer months, said they were “truly shocked but utterly delighted to be named as the winners”.

“What an incredible accolade to have achieved and a massive thank you to #HITA2022 and everyone who helped make this happen for us, the support has been quite overwhelming.”

Jane Macaulay of Wild Skies Shetland, a charity that has developed a sky trail to showcase the marvels and enormity of the skies in the most northerly inhabited island in the UK, described the ceremony as an “extraordinary night” and an “extremely productive networking opportunity”.

Meanwhile, journalist Simon Parker – who worked with Promote Shetland on a three-minute feature film on winter in the islands – scooped the Travel Writers’ travel broadcaster of the year award at a ceremony in London’s Hammersmith this weekend.

 

Da Voar Redd Up – Community Beach Clean – Shetland

Da Voar Redd Up

Saturday 22nd to Friday 28th April 2023

“Da Voar Redd Up is the UK’s most successful community litter-picking event, with around 4,500 people (20% of Shetland’s population) volunteering each year. The Redd Up makes a huge contribution to the protection of Shetland’s natural environment and wildlife, clearing Shetland’s beaches, coastlines and roadsides of litter and the debris washed up by winter storms”Shetland Amenity Trust

Shetland Seabird Tours family have been beach cleaning for some years now, it is something we have been happy to do on a regular basis through the winter months as we love beach walking and beach-combing, have a passion for our coastal environment, and it has been a source of fun and pleasure with our daughter who is very good with the pick up grabbers! This year Shetland Seabird Tours also took part in the popular annual clean up community event held by the Shetland Amenity Trust, something we will be doing every year now we are registered. We had a designated beach to clean and battled the elements over the weekend to get the job done. It is lovely to see so many folk taking part in this event and all the bags of bruck being removed from our roadsides and shorelines. Some folk have been doing these annual beach cleans for many many years, and active litter-pickers range from toddlers to folk in their late eighties –  what a great reason to hit the beaches together!

“Thanks to Shetland Islands Council for providing rubbish collection. We would also like to thank Shetland Charitable Trust, Enquest Sullom Voe, and Tesco Bags of Help for funding the event and to for Marine Conservation Society for their continued support” Shetland Amenity Trust

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Going Green! A SILVER Green Tourism Award – Leading the way into 2023!


GREEN TOURISM AWARD  – SILVER – SHETLAND SEABIRD TOURS – THE NOSS BOAT

“Shetland Seabird Tours have done a fantastic job in achieving the Green Tourism Silver Award following on from their first GreenCheck Assessment. The team have displayed an excellent understanding of sustainability as well as an awareness of the opportunities and challenges associated with running a responsible business. Shetland Seabird Tours have performed particularly strongly in the Biodiversity, Chemicals, Community, Experiences, and Water goals during this assessment. The team have shown a strong commitment to continual improvement, a willingness to implement change where required, and dedication in the pursuit of sustainable best practices. A hearty congratulations to the team on their efforts and achievement in this assessment. Shetland Seabird Tours will undoubtedly continue to make progress in the Green Tourism programme as they continue their sustainability journey” Green Tourism 

What achieving our Green Tourism award means:

We are supported in our sustainability practices, and in our improvement journey by the world-leading sustainability accreditation partner, Green Tourism. 

Achieving a Green Tourism award means that our sustainability practices have been assessed and verified by a credible partner. It shows that we have an ongoing commitment:

  • to sustainability standards and practices
  • to work responsibly, ethically, and sustainably
  • to contribute to our community
  • to reduce our impact on the environment, and
  • to be accessible and inclusive to all visitors and staff.

Green Tourism has assessed our business against 15 sustainability criteria grouped under the pillars of People, Places and Planet. These consider the social, economic, and environmental actions we undertake, providing a holistic assessment of our sustainability performance. To ensure that our cliental/passengers understand our sustainability commitment, we have been assessed by Green Tourism to validate our practice. This independent assessment brings reassurance that our practice is evidenced and authenticated. We are proud to have been awarded a Silver award in our 6th February 2023 assessment.

Shetland Seabird Tours – The Noss Boat – Highlights 

Green Tourism also helped us to highlight our areas of sustainability strength. At our 1st assessment our sustainability highlights included: Biodiversity, Chemicals, Community, Experiences & Water.

We have been working hard across the business for a few years to reduce our impact on the planet after a challenging time during covid, where we were able to stop, reassess our business & our future & re-evaluate our goals & directions. We were already committed to the environment as passionate ornithologists, naturalists, & conservationists, but time reflecting during the 2020 lockdown, for a business 100% tourism reliant, gave our business the opportunity to further cement our branding, environmental ethos & future direction & to further improve our commitments to the environment & sustainability. We now have an exciting action plan in place through Green Tourism, & continue to improve on our green commitments & look forward to growing as one of the first “green” tourism businesses in Shetland. A Silver Award allows prospective passengers to immediately identify us as a business that places great value the environment & strives honestly & seriously, to reducing our impact upon it. Another small step in the right direction…… 

GREEN TOURISM are a world-leading sustainable tourism accreditation, which means we are in ‘good company’ with some of the world’s largest brands in hospitality & tourism.

 Thanks to all at Green Tourism – we really valued the input & support given by the team to help us through the assessment process. 

THANK YOU

REBECCA & PHIL  Feb’23

 

 



 

 

 

Rebecca Nason – NEW MONTHLY i’i SHETLAND – WILDLIFE & PHOTOGRAPHY COLUMNIST

Shetland Seabird Tours – joins the team at i’i Shetland with a monthly double page Shetland Wildlife article. A wonderful opportunity for Rebecca to share some super local wildlife encounters and photography! First article out now in the JANUARY 2023 ISSUE. We hope you enjoy the forthcoming articles…..

“Home of i’i shetland and Malcolm Younger Photography
Here at Millgaet Media we have been creating exciting and cutting-edge media for our local community and beyond since 2004. Based in the beautiful surroundings of Shetland, we take our inspiration from the stunning landscapes and of course, the people who make our islands what they are.

We are best known for our popular monthly magazine, i’i shetland telling the stories of the people and happenings in the lively Shetland community. Our office and studio is also the base of experienced Shetland photographer Malcolm Younger, capturing beautiful individual and family portraits for any occasion”.

                

 

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