Officials from United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and Rainforest Alliance gathered last night to honor Mayakoba Resort and developer OHL Desarrollos as a world leader in sustainable tourism development. Both organizations re-presented awards bestowed on the development during 2011, the Ulysses Award from the United Nations World Tourism Organization and Sustainable Standard-Setter Award from the Rainforest Alliance. The award ceremony was held at the resort’s Banyan Tree Hotel and attended by representatives from both organizations, Audubon International, as well as several top government officials.

In receiving the awards, Andrés Pan de Soraluce, President of OHL Desarrollos applauded the efforts of both organizations in raising awareness of the vital subject of sustainable development and added, “From the beginning of our development of Mayakoba, we wanted to achieve two things. First, a resort that touched the environment lightly, leaving an unspoiled landscape for the enjoyment of our guests and future generations. Secondly, we wanted the resort to be among the finest in the world, an enclave within an enclave of natural yet magnificent hotels. We are delighted and honored to receive these awards, which commend the exceptional work of our environmentally-conscious team.”

Mayakoba was presented with the prestigious UNWTO Ulysses Award under the “Innovation in Enterprises” section and garnered the award for “Sustainable and Responsible Tourism Development.” The Ulysses Award celebrates tourism projects from around the world that are improving the positive social impact of the sector and taking a leading role in responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism.

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