Costas Christ’s Conservation International, in collaboration with National Geographic Traveler, last week announced the first winners of the World Legacy Awards in Washington, D.C.

The awards, conceived by Christ, recognize tourism companies from around the world that best exemplify the principles of sustainable tourism, promoting the balance among nature conservation, the protection of cultural heritage sites, social responsibility and commerce.

The awards, Christ said Saturday, are really about an effort to increase the awareness with the tourism industry – which has become the largest industry in the world today – of the “exemplary practices” that can and do make tourism a positive force in the areas where these ecotourism efforts now operate.

“We have an enormous opportunity to preserve and give something back to the Earth, and to safeguard and conserve the natural and cultural heritage of the place where people travel,” Christ said.

The awards recognized three different tourism companies working in different parts of the globe:

. Wilderness Safaris, based in South Africa, which manages more than 2.5 million acres of natural habitat in six countries in southern Africa. The group provides tourists with extensive instruction about conservation and sustainable management, works with local communities to promote economic growth and provides a free weeklong safari for 1,000 underprivileged African children each year.

. ATG Oxford, based in Oxford, England, which was recognized for its work in the Tuscany region of Italy, where it organizes walking tours which have benefited the farming villages along the routes. In addition, ATG also has worked to restore centuries-old works of art and helps the communities maintain traditional lifestyles.

. The Responsible Ecological Social Tours project works with local communities in Thailand to reduce the negative impact of tourism, and to promote conservation and increase the amount of income for participating families.

The winners were chosen from 100 entrants from all over the world. Although many of the travel companies work in exotic locales, the principals of sustainable tourism can be applied anywhere in the world, even in established tourist destinations within Maine.