Corps Touristique (CT), the organisation representing foreign tourist boards, is presenting the CT Award Connecting Cultures for the fifth time. In this interview, CT President Hanna Kleber explains why tour operators can now apply, what sets this award apart from others, and how the travel industry fosters an understanding of other cultures.
fvw|TravelTalk: In January, at the CMT travel fair in Stuttgart, the Corps Touristique will be presenting the CT Award Connecting Cultures for the fifth time. How does this prize differ from other awards in the industry?
Hanna Kleber: The CT Award Connecting Cultures is not a traditional tourism prize that evaluates marketing campaigns, visitor numbers or commercial success. Rather, the focus is on how travel helps to bring people from different cultures into contact with one another and foster mutual understanding. We recognise projects that build bridges, break down prejudices and facilitate genuine encounters. Particularly at a time when social tensions are on the rise, we want to show that tourism is far more than simply travelling from A to B – it can make an important contribution to international understanding.
For the first time, tour operators and other companies can now also apply; previously, only the destinations represented in CT were eligible. Why this expansion?
The idea of connecting cultures is now supported by many stakeholders. Tour operators, airlines, hotels, DMCs, cultural institutions and tourism service providers often develop highly creative projects that perfectly reflect our objectives. That is why we would like to broaden the pool of applicants. Good ideas do not arise exclusively within tourism organisations or tourist boards. By opening up the competition, we are creating new perspectives and can highlight even more inspiring examples.
What criteria must the proposed projects or initiatives from the travel industry meet?
It is crucial that the project creates clear intercultural added value. It should encourage encounters between people from different cultures, support cultural exchange and have a lasting positive impact on mutual understanding. These may take the form of tourism programmes, educational initiatives, cultural events, social projects or innovative travel concepts. It is important that the impact is demonstrable and that the idea goes beyond being merely a marketing tool.
The award aims to promote an understanding of foreign cultures and international understanding. What contribution can the travel industry make in this regard?
A very significant one. Travel enables personal experiences that no digital platform can replace. Anyone who visits a destination, strikes up conversations with locals, experiences regional traditions or learns about other people’s everyday lives develops an understanding of and respect for different ways of life. The travel industry creates the framework for these encounters. It can develop programmes that foster authentic connections and bring cultural diversity to life. In this way, tourism becomes a vital instrument of international dialogue.
„For us, the CT Award – Connecting Cultures is far more than just an accolade. It is a commitment to the unifying values of travel. In an increasingly complex world, we want to highlight projects that bring people together, foster understanding and overcome cultural barriers. “
Hanna Kleber
There is not just one, but three winners each year. Why?
The promotion of intercultural exchange can take many different forms. Some projects have a local impact, others an international one. Some focus on education, others on culture, social integration or sustainable tourism. By awarding three prizes, we aim to do justice to this diversity. At the same time, we raise the profile of outstanding initiatives and give several projects the opportunity to serve as role models for the sector.
The projects honoured to date are very diverse, with different focal points ranging from involving visitors in local traditions to religious tolerance and art projects. Why this diversity?
Because cultural understanding has many facets. Culture manifests itself in traditions, art, music, religion, cuisine, language or in everyday life. There is therefore no single ideal way to bring people together. We wish to remain deliberately open-minded and recognise exceptional ideas, regardless of how they build bridges between people and cultures. This diversity makes the award particularly exciting and highlights the enormous creativity of our sector.
Most of the winners to date have come from Europe, for example from Spain and Italy. What role do projects from long-haul destinations play?
A very important one. Long-haul destinations in particular have unique cultural traditions and often offer particularly intense encounters with unfamiliar ways of life. We would be delighted to receive even more entries from Africa, Asia, Latin America or the Middle East in future. The CT Award is explicitly intended to be an international award. Good projects can emerge anywhere in the world. What matters is not geographical origin, but the impact on intercultural dialogue.
