The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) announced that Al Wathba Wetland Reserve was nominated for the Middle East’s Responsible Tourism Award, part of the 27th World Annual Travel Awards. The reserve was selected because of its excellence and responsible approach to tourism where visitors can enjoy biodiversity without harming ecosystems and the environment.
Ahmed Al Hashemi,Acting Executive Director, Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity said: “We are so pleased that Al Wathba Wetland Reserve is one of the three finalists in the World Annual Travel Awards, and more so that we were selected for the category of Responsible Tourism. We have always strived to ensure that all our environmental work is recognised beyond the borders of the UAE and that we meet global standards in whatever we do.”
“We encourage everyone to vote for Al Wathba Wetland Reserve which is the only site in the Arabian Gulf where the Greater Flamingo breeds regularly since 2011, is recognised as a Ramsar Site and was the firstInternational Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) green-listed site in the region in 2018″, Al Hashemi said.
Established in 1998 by the late Sheikh Zayed, Founder of the UAE, the Al Wathba Wetland Reserve is a nature reserve consisting of both natural and man-made bodies of water located 40 km southeast of central Abu Dhabi. Covering a total of 5 square km, the wetlands are comprised of wetlands, salt flats, fossilized sands and dunes, and are densely packed with a variety of animal and plant species.
The reserve is renowned for its spectacular flamingo population, which flock to the reserve in their thousands to enjoy the warm weather during the winter months, with some remaining all year round. There are approximately 4,000 flamingos residing on the reserve alone. The reserve was opened to the public in 2014 and now receives over 7,000 visitors per season.
To vote for Al Wathba Wetland Reserve, simply click on the following link: https://www.worldtravelawards.comand register your account. Scroll to the nominees, select the Middle East region, search for the category for Responsible Tourism and select Al Wathba Wetland Reserve. Voting is open until the 10th of September.
The World Annual Travel Awards were established in 1993 to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the tourism industry, and considered the Oscars of the global travel and tourism industry.