Here's a platform to share your journey and achievements in responsible tourism. The top three winners will be heard at ITB Asia this October, Asia’s biggest business-to-business travel trade show.

Singapore, 12 August 2014. This year, Wild Asia together with Gaia Discovery is on a lookout for inspiring travel stories from within the industry. We are inviting exceptional tourism businesses and projects from across Asia to submit their inspiring story.

Have you empowered local people? Saved a rare wildlife species? Protected an area’s cultural heritage? Innovated ways to run a tourism business that is kinder to the environment? Have you through the power of tourism used it as a force for good? We want to hear your story.

Inspiring Stories from Destinations is an annual competition providing an international platform for tourism players to get their story heard at ITB Asia in Singapore. The competition seeks exciting stories from organisations and individuals who have found in themselves a passion to make a difference in the travel industry and leave a legacy for the next generation.

(Check out winning stories from 2012 and 2013 Inspiring Stories from Destinations competition).

What Inspiring Stories from Destinations is looking for?

The selection of successful stories is based on the authenticity of the story, creative and innovative elements, and the power to inspire others towards making responsible tourism a reality. (Terms on Wild Asia website)

What’s in it for you?

· Top 3 Winners will receive complimentary tickets to ITB Asia Responsible Tourism Events and will be given 15 minutes each to share their story on the Responsible Tourism stage to an audience of like-minded tourism professionals and potential customers

· Top 3 Winners will have their story published on the Wild Asia’s website and Gaia Discovery’s website.

· Top 3 Winners will benefit from the reach of both Wild Asia and Gaia Discovery’s social media networks.

How to enter

Submit your stories in any of the following form:

· In words; no more than 1,000 words

· Video; no more than 5 minutes

· Slideshow; no more than 15 slides

Email your entries to rt@wildasia.org by 14th September 2014 (Sunday). Please title your email “RT Stories for RT Event at ITB Asia 2014″ and include your Name, Email, Organization and Destination in your email. Successful applicants will be notified via email by 30th September, 2014. Winners will be invited to speak at ITB Asia (Terms on Wild Asia website).

Inspiring Stories is part of the annual Responsible Tourism networking events that started in 2009. Organised and supported by ITB Asia, Wild Asia and this year with the inclusion of Gaia Discovery, this annual event hopes to bring together sustainable tourism practitioners to share, engage, learn and be inspired to make a difference.

About Wild Asia and Gaia Discovery

Wild Asia is a social enterprise working to protect and support the conservation of natural areas and local communities via the tourism industry. Wild Asia’s Responsible Tourism Initiative works through strategic partnerships with businesses and modules to facilitate learning and implementation of international standards and guidelines. Our ultimate goal is to promote sustainable practices that will adverse impacts on the environment and ensure that local communities are engaged and empowered. For more on Wild Asia's tourism work, go to www.tourism.wildasia.org

Gaia Discovery is Asia's premier independent publication reaching out to readers from more than 100 countries daily. This online publication aims to influence industrialists, builders and hoteliers to forsake their myopic stance in developing properties that are commercially viable but detrimental to the balance of eco-systems. Through Gaia Discovery, we will urge them to exercise greater thought and care in protecting the environment and its inhabitants, and when they do, we will recognize them for making the change. Gaia Discovery is a green reference point to cultivating pro-planet practices, incorporating home, living, business, travel, music, art and adventures. For more on Gaia Discovery, go to www.gaiadiscovery.com