CTE Awards Process:

1. Take previous year criteria categories and refine. Perhaps add some new categories? (Possible categories: best marketing efforts, best M&E and record keeping, best customer service, most environmentally friendly, most sustainable, biggest community benefits, best efforts at transparency etc.)

2. Two options:

OPTION A.

a. Ask individuals such as tour guides, tour operator, managers, STAR staff, people who are neutral but with knowledge in Uganda’s tourism industry to nominate candidates who they believe exemplify best practices in these categories.

Note: community members may not nominate. Community members are defined as people who are members of a community based organization (for the reason that they are not exposed to a number of different communities, and also to avoid bias).

b. Once nominations have been submitted (late nominations/nominations submitted after the given deadline will not be considered), the list will be published and CBTEs will be notified through UCOTA communications.

c. The UCOTA secretariat and the Pearls Advisory Committee, assuming they are knowledgeableabout community based tourism, shall vote for what they believe is the best in each category.

o Voting shall consist of one vote for the best CTE in each category.

o Each voter shall receive only one vote.

o The candidate with the most votes in each category shall win the award.

d. The winner in each category will be invited to an event where they are recognized, and are asked to give a 2-3 minute speech. Winners shall also be recognized in a post-event press release. Other CTEs will be informed of the winners through UCOTA communications

OPTION B.

a. Ask communities to nominate themselves or another community group, asking specific questions pertaining to a certain category and requesting specific details about the operations, reporting, community development projects, and requiring evidence to corroborate claims. (This method will mimic actual proposal writing, and is to obtain information for marketing collateral as well.)

b. Once nominations have been submitted (late nominations/nominations submitted after the given deadline will not be considered), the list will be published and CBTEs will be notified through UCOTA communications.

c. The UCOTA secretariat will prepare an online survey (Survey Monkey) to allow its stakeholders to vote for which community they believe is the best in each category. Information provided in communities’ applications shall be made available to aid the voting process.

o Voting shall consist of one vote for the best CTE in each category.

o Each voter shall receive only one vote.

o The candidate with the most votes in each category shall win the award.

d. The winner in each category shall be invited to an event where they are recognized, and are asked to give a 2-3 minute speech. Winners shall also be recognized in a post-event press release. Other CTEs will be informed of the winners through UCOTA communications