3 June 2011: The UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has announced the 2011 Ulysses Awards, which encourage innovation in tourism. Several of the winning projects focused on environmental protection and sustainable tourism.

Among the winners announced during the awards ceremony, which took place in Vilamoura, Portugal, on 2 June 2011, were: the Madeira Regional Secretariat for Tourism and Transport, Portugal, for its environmental work; Ingelia, Spain, for a project transforming organic waste into biofuel for more sustainable tourism; OHL Desarrollos, Mexico, for sustainable and responsible tourism development at a resort; and Conservation Volunteers Australia, for recruiting tourists to serve as volunteers to clean up and restore a nature reserve. [UN News Centre]