Travel Britain

The Scottish Seabird Centre at North Berwick, 30 miles south of Edinburgh, is celebrating after being awarded the UK's ultimate business honour - a Queen's Award for Enterprise.

The centre was one of only a handful of companies in the travel and tourism sector to figure in the 2004 list. Judges picked it because they said it had "taken sustainable tourism to new heighs via its approach to remote viewing of seabirds".

The citation noted how the centre had installed solar-powered cameras in island nesting grounds, with pictures beamed back live to the mainland. Steps taken by the centre to promote sustainable develpment in its operations were also noted with approval. These include the development of a green travel plan for visitors, providing jobs and attracting tourists back to the East Lothian coast, in addition to providing what the citation said was "an excellent means by which pepole can learn more about wildlife".

"Visitor numbers have continued to grow year on year since it first opened, a testament to the popularity of its approach to sustainable tourism," the judges added.

Other winning companies from the travel and tourism sectors include British Mediterranean Airways and the Clynfyw Countryside Centre, which specialises in farm-based respite care and rural arts holidays.

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