Congratulations, Rio Zakarias Widyandaru Wins The 2024 Sustainable Tourism Excellence Award

JAKARTA Rio Zakarias Widyandaru won the 2024 Sustainable Tourism Excellence Award at the GenPI Awards held on Saturday night, October 5 at Vertu Harmoni, Jakarta.

This award was given by the Indonesian Pesona Generation (GenPI) together with the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia as a form of appreciation for Rio's commitment to developing sustainable tourism which has a positive impact on the environment and society.

This award further strengthens Rio's position as a leader in the sustainable tourism movement in Indonesia. For this category, apart from Rio, there are other names that also contribute to the sustainable tourism sector and become a nominee. These include Wayan Suardarna, the driving force for Balinese cultural nature conservation; Puspa Dewi, the pioneer of Nglangeran Tourism Village; and Nicky Mehu, a tourism figure at Sentani Papua.

Rio's dedication in promoting ecotourism, sustainable tourism and creating a positive impact through Social Impact.ID is the main factor that led him to this victory.

In his acceptance speech, Rio expressed his gratitude and dedication to continuing to empower the community through sustainable tourism. "We are always present in the existing community so that the message from sustainable tourism can really be achieved. I present this award to all Indonesian people who continue to strive so that tourism can be qualified and sustainable," said Rio as Founder and Director of Social Impact, quoted from an official statement, Monday, October 7.

Rio Zakarias Widyandaru through Social Impact.ID continues to show a commitment to educating and empowering Generation Z to be more concerned with environmental issues. Not only in the field of advocacy, Rio has also launched various concrete initiatives to support the development of sustainable tourism in various regions in Indonesia. One of their main focuses is integrating the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program in the tourism sector, which aims to ensure long-term positive impacts on local and natural communities.

He runs various campaigns, including the involvement of local communities in the management of tourist destinations. With this ongoing approach, Socialimpact.ID has succeeded in creating synergies between environmental conservation, community empowerment, and local economic growth. These programs not only reduce the carbon footprint of tourism activities, but also open up economic opportunities for local residents, ensuring that tourism provides direct benefits for those living around tourist destinations.

The 2024 Sustainable Tourism Excellence Award is a clear proof of Rio's efforts to bring real changes to the tourism industry. Rio realized that sustainability is not only about protecting nature, but also about maintaining the welfare and sustainability of people living around tourist destinations.

This success is not only a victory for Rio personally, but also a reminder for all tourism industry players to continue to innovate and collaborate in creating a more environmentally and socially friendly tourism ecosystem.

This victory is not only an acknowledgment of Rio's dedication, but also an inspiration for many parties to be involved in fighting for tourism that is more quality and sustainable. With the support of the community and collaborators, Rio is optimistic that Indonesia's tourism future will be brighter and more innovative.