The prestigious ITB Earth Award 2026 has been presented to Fernando de Noronha, Brazilās Good Practice Story āTourism Among Dolphins: The Transformative Impact of the Spinner Dolphin Projectā in recognition of its outstanding long-term commitment to sustainable tourism and marine conservation.
Elected directly by ITB, the ITB Earth Special Award honours exceptional stories about sustainable tourism through destination stewardship, inspiring practices, and effective stakeholder management. The jury recognised Fernando de Noronha āfor its outstanding long-term impact, strong biodiversity protection focus, and exemplary community engagement in advancing sustainable tourism and marine conservation.ā
At the heart of this story is the long-running Spinner Dolphin Project, a globally respected conservation initiative that has been operating for more than three decades. Faced with increasing tourism pressure in one of the South Atlanticās most biodiverse marine ecosystems, the destination took decisive action, implementing science-based protection norms, regulating boat traffic, restricting dolphin interaction, and embedding environmental education into daily island life.
With over 8,000 days of research, 77,000 hours of observation, and continuous monitoring of the worldās largest regular concentration of spinner dolphins, Fernando de Noronha has demonstrated that tourism growth and biodiversity protection can coexist when guided by stewardship and science.
Equally significant is the islandās deep community involvement. Environmental education programmes have shaped generations of residents, while sustainable tourism training and free consulting for local businesses ensure that conservation delivers shared economic benefits. Today, dolphin watching remains one of the islandās most popular activities and is conducted under strict environmental standards that protect the very species that attract visitors.
By placing biodiversity protection, community empowerment, and long-term governance at the centre of its tourism model, Fernando de Noronha stands as a powerful example of how destinations can safeguard natural treasures while sustaining livelihoods.
š Call for Entries: Top 100 Stories 2026
Does your destination have a best practice story the world should hear? Registrations are now open for the Green Destinations Top 100 Stories 2026. Submit your Good Practice Story and position your destination among the global leaders in sustainable tourism.
