The World Travel Awards are decided by “thousands of votes cast by travel professionals from 167,000 travel agencies, tour & transport companies and tourism organizations in over 160 countries across the globe” (according to the organisers) – so winning one really does mean that you’ve been recognized by your peers for the quality of your product and service.

That’s why Kit Stewart of Knysna’s Phantom Forest Eco-reserve is so excited: her lodge has been nominated for an award in the category ‘World’s Leading Green Destination.’

She’s up against Aspen, Colorado, the Bouma National Heritage Park on Fiji Island, British Columbia’s Great Bear Rainforest, Cousine Island in the Seychelles, the Eden Project in Cornwall, the Kanha National Park in India, the North Island in the Seychelles, Tobago’s Main Ridge Rain Forest and Wilson Island on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef – all of which kind of qualify as stand-out destinations, don’t you think?

I wanted to vote (and to ask you to vote, too) in a number of categories – but I was disappointed to see that voting closed on 1 August. So all I can do is wish Kit the best of luck – and hold thumbs for the other South African nominees: Bushman Sands for the World’s Leading Sustainable Tourism Project and the Conservation Corporation and Shamwari Game Reserve for the World’s Leading Conservation Company.