Cookson Adventures and Wild Frontiers Highly Commended as Inspire Global recognises specialist tour operators demonstrating how tourism can inspire, inform and create positive impact.
Inside Travel Group has been named Specialist Tour Operator of the Year 2026 at the inaugural Inspire Global Tourism Awards, held in London on Wednesday 2 September.
Cookson Adventures and Wild Frontiers were both awarded Highly Commended, recognising the exceptional standard of their submissions and the distinctive ways in which they are creating positive impact through tourism.
The inaugural Awards brought together eight specialist tour operator finalists from across Asia, Africa and Latin America, with each assessed by an independent panel of seven judges against Inspire Global’s three core principles: INSPIRE, INFORM and IMPACT.
Specialist Tour Operator of the Year 2026 — Inside Travel Group
The judges recognised Inside Travel Group for successfully making positive impact part of its core tourism proposition, inspiring travellers to look beyond the obvious and discover places, people and experiences they might otherwise overlook.
Its Undertourism strategy is actively directing travellers and economic value towards less-visited destinations, while deep destination knowledge and thoughtful storytelling help visitors better understand the places and communities behind their journeys.
The judges particularly highlighted the combination of ambition, transparency and evidence within the submission — demonstrating that creating better holidays and creating positive impact do not need to be competing objectives.
Highly Commended — Cookson Adventures
Cookson Adventures was Highly Commended for an exceptional conservation-led approach that puts travellers at the heart of meaningful environmental action, inspiring them to see both the places they visit and their own role within them differently.
From wildlife translocations and conservation programmes to locally operated camps, community investment and access to leading experts, the judges recognised travel designed to create lasting impact as well as extraordinary experiences.
They also highlighted the educational depth of the journeys and the power of storytelling to extend their influence beyond those who travel.
Highly Commended — Wild Frontiers
Wild Frontiers was Highly Commended for an approach built on almost three decades of long-term relationships and a genuine belief in tourism’s ability to connect people, inspire curiosity and challenge perceptions of places too often misunderstood.
Small groups, locally led journeys, homestays and community partnerships bring travellers closer to the places they visit, while measurable investment through the Wild Frontiers Foundation demonstrates a sustained commitment to positive impact.
The judges particularly valued the authenticity, depth of local knowledge and determination to take travellers beyond both the usual routes and familiar narratives.
Eight inaugural finalists
The eight finalists for the inaugural Inspire Global Tourism Awards were:
- Africa Overland Adventures
- Cookson Adventures
- Experience Travel Group
- Inside Travel Group
- Pura Aventura
- Selective Asia
- Trotting Soles Travel
- Wild Frontiers
The Awards were created to recognise specialist tourism businesses demonstrating that positive impact can be embedded within exceptional travel experiences — inspiring travellers, helping them better understand the places they visit and creating meaningful benefits for destinations and communities.
The independent judging panel brought together expertise from across tourism, sustainability, research and technology: Alison Burgh, Caroline Bremner, Charlie Cotton, Helena Egan, Albert Kimbu, Jim Millward and Shaon Talukder.
Speaking after the Awards, Inspire Global Founder Byron Shirto said:
“What struck me throughout the judging process was the quality and diversity of the eight submissions. These are very different businesses, operating in different parts of the world and at very different scales, but each demonstrated a genuine desire to use tourism positively. Inside Travel Group particularly impressed the judges by showing that positive impact doesn’t need to sit alongside the customer experience — it can actually help create a better one. Cookson Adventures and Wild Frontiers demonstrated that in very different ways too, which is why both were deserving of Highly Commended recognition.
For an inaugural year, I couldn’t have asked for a stronger group of businesses to help establish what we want the Inspire Global Tourism Awards to stand for.”
More than an Awards ceremony
The Tourism Awards formed part of an Inspire Global Industry Reception bringing together tour operators, destinations and tourism professionals for an evening of discussion, recognition and networking.
Shaon Talukder, Founder & CEO of Geotourist and Strategic Advisor on Data and AI for the UK Government’s Visitor Economy Advisory Council, delivered the evening’s keynote, Technology-Led Tourism: Harnessing AI Without Losing The Human Touch.
This was followed by From Intention to Impact: What does better tourism actually look like?, a fireside conversation with Caroline Bremner and Hidden Iceland Co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer Ryan Connolly, moderated by FINN Partners Managing Partner and Global Travel Practice Leader, Debbie Flynn.
Looking ahead to 2027
Following the inaugural Awards, Inspire Global will now build on the foundations established in 2026, working with participating businesses and the wider tourism industry as the Awards develop.
For 2027, the ambition is to grow the Awards and begin broadening recognition beyond specialist tour operators, while retaining the rigorous, independent judging and focus on INSPIRE, INFORM and IMPACT established in their first year.