Global leaders in sustainable tourism gathered in Dubai for the second annual World Sustainable Travel & Hospitality Awards (WSTHA) — a dazzling evening honoring the individuals and organizations driving the transformation toward a net-positive tourism industry.
The ceremony took place on October 29 at Terra, Expo City Dubai, highlighting the venue as a symbol of environmental innovation. This year’s event stood out for the quality of its entries, with 30 awards spanning the entire spectrum of sustainable tourism — from community initiatives to large-scale corporate innovation.
The major winners of 2025
ITC Hotels dominated the night, winning the title of World’s Leading Sustainable Organisation 2025, along with two additional awards — World’s Leading Sustainable Employer and World’s Leading Sustainable Food & Nutrition Initiative — for their achievements in energy management, nutritional responsibility, and corporate empowerment.
Four Seasons Resort Mallorca at Formentor was recognized as World’s Leading Sustainable Water & Waste Innovation, setting new standards in water recycling and rainwater collection.
The Green Ramadan initiative, in partnership with Hilton, earned the World’s Leading Sustainable Partnership title for achieving a 26% reduction in waste during Ramadan.
The City of Dubrovnik was named World’s Leading Sustainable Destination, while Dubai doubled its accolades with two President’s Awards: World’s Leading Sustainable City and World’s Leading Sustainable Venue for Terra, Expo City Dubai.
Mandarin Oriental received three awards, demonstrating its strong sustainability commitment: World’s Leading Sustainable Energy Efficiency Initiative, World’s Leading Sustainable Cultural Heritage Project, and World’s Leading Sustainable Policy Initiative.
Among individual awards, Mariana Domingues of Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon was honored as Wolfgang Neumann Sustainability Leader of Tomorrow 2025, and Siew Kim Beh of The Ascott Limited received the World’s Leading Sustainability Leader 2025 award.
A carbon-neutral evening
The event featured a carbon-neutral, farm-to-table, zero-waste menu, curated by Chef Sarthak in partnership with Fresh On Table, reflecting the event’s sustainability ethos in every detail.
Justin Cooke, Executive Vice-President of WSTHA, stated:
“This year’s winners embody the future of hospitality — where innovation, environmental respect, and social responsibility coexist.”
Glenn Mandziuk, President & CEO of the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, added:
“Sustainability is no longer a parallel initiative — it is the foundation of success in hospitality. These winners demonstrate how purpose and performance can go hand in hand.”
Οι νικητές των World Sustainable Travel & Hospitality Awards 2025
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| World’s Leading Sustainable Organisation 2025 | ITC Hotels |
| World’s Leading Small Sustainable Organisation 2025 | ECOFRY |
| World’s Leading Sustainable Partnership 2025 | Green Ramadan |
| World’s Leading Sustainability Leader 2025 | Siew Kim Beh, The Ascott Limited |
| Wolfgang Neumann Sustainability Leader of Tomorrow Award 2025 | Mariana Domingues, Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon |
| World’s Leading Sustainable Employer 2025 | ITC Hotels |
| World’s Leading Sustainable Destination 2025 | City of Dubrovnik |
| World’s Leading Small Sustainable Destination 2025 | El Albergue Ollantaytambo |
| World’s Leading Sustainable Hotel or Resort Development 2025 | Peninsula Papagayo |
| World’s Leading Indigenous Community Tourism Initiative 2025 | Four Seasons Resort & Residences Whistler |
| World’s Leading Sustainable Guest Experience 2025 | Ecoventura |
| World’s Leading Conservation Programme 2025 | Gamewatchers Safaris & Porini Camps – Selenkay Conservancy |
| World’s Leading Marine & Biodiversity Conservation Programme 2025 | Iberostar Group – Coastal Ecosystem Restoration Strategy |
| World’s Leading Climate Action Initiative 2025 | Accor – Supply Chain Decarbonization Program “Achieving Net Zero Together” |
| World’s Leading Sustainable Energy Efficiency Initiative 2025 | Mandarin Oriental |
| World’s Leading Sustainable Water & Waste Innovation 2025 | Four Seasons Resort Mallorca at Formentor |
| World’s Leading Sustainable Circular Economy Initiative 2025 | SM Hotels and Conventions – “Plate for the Planet” |
| World’s Leading Sustainable Health & Well-being Initiative 2025 | NEOM Operations – Hospitality Services |
| World’s Leading Sustainable Female Empowerment Initiative 2025 | Aitken Spence Hotels |
| World’s Leading Sustainable Community Empowerment Programme 2025 | Peninsula Papagayo |
| World’s Leading Sustainable Accessibility & Inclusion Initiative 2025 | The Ascott |
| World’s Leading Sustainable Education & Training Programme 2025 | Employability Program in the Hospitality Sector |
| World’s Leading Sustainable Cultural Heritage Project 2025 | Mandarin Oriental |
| World’s Leading Sustainable Supply Chain Programme 2025 | Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris |
| World’s Leading Sustainable Technology Initiative 2025 | FortyGuard |
| World’s Leading Sustainable Policy Initiative 2025 | Mandarin Oriental |
| World’s Leading Sustainable Food & Nutrition Initiative 2025 | ITC Hotels |
| World’s Leading Sustainable Marketing Campaign 2025 | ITC Hotels |
| World’s Leading Sustainable City 2025 | Dubai |
| World’s Leading Sustainable Venue 2025 | Terra, Expo City Dubai |
The awards are held in collaboration with the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, which represents over 66,000 hotels, 8 million rooms, 300 brands, and 100 global partners.
Nominations were evaluated by students of the Nova School of Business & Economics, and winners were selected through a vote by industry professionals, media, and the public.
The event is a “sister institution” to the World Travel Awards, celebrating their 32nd anniversary this year, reinforcing Dubai’s position as a global hub for sustainable innovation in hospitality.
