A new international awards initiative has been launched to promote sustainability in tourism advertising. The GreenWorking Awards, created by the International Committee of Tourism Film Festivals (CIFFT) and Spanish agency normmal, with the participation of the World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), will reward campaigns that prioritise sustainable practices and messaging in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The awards aim to highlight tourism organisations, production companies, and creative agencies that demonstrate a commitment to reducing their carbon footprint throughout campaign production, while delivering clear and effective sustainability messages. The international jury will include specialists in sustainability, marketing, and creativity.
Alexander V Kammel, CIFFT director, says: "The GreenWorking Awards set a vital precedent by recognising tourism campaigns that embed sustainable practices at their core, not just in their messaging but throughout their production. This is essential for driving real change in an industry that significantly impacts communities and the environment worldwide."
The GreenWorking Awards feature three categories reflecting different dimensions of sustainability in tourism campaigns:
• GreenWorking Production Award: for campaigns that stand out in sustainable audiovisual production.
• GreenWorking Message Award: for campaigns with impactful sustainability messages.
• GreenWorking Global Award: recognising the best overall campaign combining environmentally responsible production with a strong sustainability message.
Alberto Fernández, CEO of normmal, adds: "We created the Greenworking Awards together with CIFFT and the UN Tourism because I am convinced that the future of tourism depends on narratives—and productions—that respect our planet and its communities.
"At normmal, sustainability is our guiding light, and with these partners I’m proud to highlight campaigns and productions that embody genuine environmental and social responsibility."
Shaping a more sustainable tourism industry
The launch of the awards follows a strategic collaboration between normmal, CIFFT, and UN Tourism, united by a shared commitment to innovation and sustainability in tourism communication.
Ion Vilcu, director of the affiliate members and public-private collaboration department at UN Tourism, affirms: "At UN Tourism, we recognise the power of audiovisual storytelling to shape a more sustainable tourism industry. The GreenWorking Awards represent a forward-thinking approach to tourism promotion—one that values not only what we communicate, but how we create it.
"By encouraging environmentally and socially responsible production, this initiative sets a new standard for meaningful and impactful storytelling in our sector."
Submissions are open until 15 September via www.cifft.com, where participants can access the competition guidelines. Winners will be announced in November at the World Tourism Film Awards gala, honouring the year’s top tourism productions.
The organisers describe the GreenWorking Awards as a transformative move for the tourism industry, encouraging participants to lead by example in sustainable advertising and inspire broader industry change.
