A SCOTTISH adventure holiday firm has won a prestigious award for its green credentials.
Aviemore-based Wilderness Scotland was presented with the World's Leading Green Tour Operator in the "Oscars" of the travel industry, the World Travel Awards, at a glittering ceremony held on the Caribbean island of Anguilla in December.
The company fought off competition from seven other nominated tour operators.
Seven years ago the specialist adventure travel company picked up the same award.
Its wilderness experiences, most of them guided, range from walking holidays to adrenaline-fuelled sea kayaking trips and some of the most beautiful cycling routes in Europe.
The firm said clients get to discover a "stunning natural adventure playground such as a canoe tour of Scotland's Grand Rivers or a mountain bike journey in the beautiful Cairngorms National Park".
All Wilderness Scotland's group holidays start at mainline train stations and they keep the use of motorised vehicles to a minimum.
Paul Easto, Wilderness Scotland managing director, said the firm "takes its commitment to sustainable tourism very seriously".
He said: "Since we engage with local people and work with local partners, our groups find they always receive a warm welcome wherever we go.
"Our environmental approach is based upon the familiar mantra of reduction, re-use and recycle, and we place issues such as leave-no-trace awareness and nature conservation high on our agenda.
"Our trips are purposefully designed to minimise environmental impact and operate on a low carbon basis. We are all about experiencing the wilderness using human power, be that on foot or by bike, kayak, canoe and sailing boat.
"We keep it local with our charitable support too, providing financial help to a wide range of nature conservation projects in the Highlands of Scotland."
Mike Cantlay, chairman of national tourism organisationVisitScotland, said: "I would like to congratulate Wilderness Scotland on beating such strong opposition to land this outstanding accolade for the second time.
"The natural environment is hugely important to Scottish tourism and businesses that take a sustainable approach are helping to safeguard this country's assets and ensure long-term tourism growth."
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