MTS Summit Award

MTS Summit Award

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Corporations—large and small—play a vital role in supporting their customers, their communities, and the broader world. At MTS, the Summit Award honors the exceptional work happening across the mountain travel industry by recognizing organizations, programs, projects, and individuals who move beyond good intentions and create real, measurable impact.

From cutting-edge technology to community-driven initiatives, we’re proud to celebrate an industry that continually pushes boundaries and strives for excellence.

The winner of the 2026 award is Trentino.

Check out the 2026 winner

TRENTINO

  • Trentino Open represents a systemic transformation of mountain tourism across five Alpine destinations: Dolomiti Paganella, Madonna di Campiglio–Valle del Chiese, Alpe Cimbra, Val di Sole, and Fiemme & Cembra. Rather than offering isolated inclusive activities, it embeds accessibility into infrastructure, training, governance, digital systems, and community culture. Its guiding principle: accessibility is not a service—it is a standard.

    Mountain environments have long presented barriers, from steep terrain to historic infrastructure. Trentino Open challenged this by redesigning systems instead of adapting individual experiences. Stakeholders across ski schools, lifts, hospitality, and cultural sites collaborate within a coordinated, scalable model.

    Each destination contributes unique strengths: Paganella integrates adaptive sports into daily operations; Madonna di Campiglio expands access to culture and eliminates financial barriers; Alpe Cimbra demonstrates long-term market viability; Val di Sole leads in sensory and digital accessibility; and Fiemme & Cembra invests in infrastructure tied to long-term mobility and Paralympic legacy.

    The impact is measurable: increased participation, over 1,000 adaptive guests annually in some क्षेत्रों, diversified visitor segments, and stronger year-round tourism resilience.

    Trentino Open sets a new benchmark by proving accessibility can be fully integrated, economically sustainable, and scalable—redefining how mountain tourism can evolve while expanding access for all.

Check out the 2026 NOMINATIONS below

Abode Luxury Rentals

  • Abode Luxury Rentals was built on a simple belief: hospitality should feel personal.

    As the vacation rental industry shifted toward consolidation, automation, and rapid growth, we chose a different path. Instead of asking how many homes we could manage, we asked how well we could care for each one. Instead of prioritizing speed, we prioritized lasting relationships.

    In high-demand mountain markets like Park City, Jackson Hole, and Sun Valley, scale without intention often erodes service, trust, and team well-being. We rejected that model in favor of disciplined growth.

    We intentionally curated our portfolio, built local hospitality teams, and maintained strict property standards. Today, we operate with a 1:4 employee-to-property ratio, ensuring consistent service and preventing burnout. Every home receives a detailed pre-arrival inspection, and over 60% of bookings are direct, reflecting strong guest loyalty and trust.

    Luxury homeowners expect protection and performance; guests expect hotel-level care in private homes. Our hybrid model combines high-touch hospitality, data-driven revenue strategy, proactive property care, and transparent reporting. As a result, more than 60% of homes have remained with Abode for over five years.

    We invest 2% of gross income into training and wellness, supporting long-term team development and maintaining strong retention in a high-turnover industry.

    This approach proves that choosing depth over scale is not a limitation—it is a competitive advantage rooted in trust, consistency, and care.

Alpinr Mountain Travel

  • Alpinr Mountain Travel’s CEO, Michael Mathews, is embarking on a World Tour with the goal of becoming the first person in the world to ski all seven continents in under 300 days.

    The purpose of this journey extends far beyond skiing or individual achievement. At a time when screen time dominates daily life, schedules are increasingly demanding, and participation in outdoor recreation is declining, this project is designed to serve as a reminder of what still exists beyond our routines.

    It is an invitation to reconnect with the natural world and to rediscover what is available to explore, experience, and protect on this planet. By linking all seven continents through a single human-powered narrative of exploration, the World Tour highlights the scale, diversity, and fragility of global mountain environments.

    More than a record-setting challenge, it is a call to attention: to inspire curiosity, encourage outdoor engagement, and reinforce the importance of protecting the wild places that make experiences like this possible.

Bella Coola Heli Sports

  • Bella Coola Heli Sports operates in one of the most ecologically and culturally significant regions in North America—the Central Coast and Chilcotin Plateau of British Columbia. With exceptional access comes responsibility.

    The Legacy Fund, powered by a 2% guest sustainability surcharge, ensures every trip directly contributes to long-term impact. Guided in collaboration with local leadership and First Nations communities, it invests in three pillars: Community, Conservation, and Climate.

    Since its inception, the Fund has raised over $559,000 and allocated $469,000+ to 35+ projects. It has also reduced emissions by 40.87 tCO₂e through Sustainable Aviation Fuel investments and supported major conservation initiatives, including grizzly bear research, salmon habitat restoration, and wildlife coexistence programs.

    Operating on the unceded territories of eight First Nations, Bella Coola Heli Sports recognizes that meaningful stewardship requires more than compliance—it requires structured, measurable action embedded into its business model.

    Community: Over $250,000 invested locally, impacting 2,000+ residents through health, safety, cultural revitalization, youth programs, emergency response, and infrastructure support, including Search and Rescue training, food security, cultural programming, and youth scholarships.

    Conservation: $40,000 invested directly and $250,000+ leveraged through industry partnerships, supporting bear coexistence, salmon recovery, and habitat restoration, including a key role in successful advocacy for the provincial grizzly bear hunting ban.

    Climate: Industry-first carbon offsetting at 110%, followed by investment in Sustainable Aviation Fuel and watershed research, delivering measurable emissions reductions and long-term climate monitoring.

    The Legacy Fund embeds impact into every guest experience, proving that high-end adventure tourism can scale measurable environmental and social benefit while strengthening destination resilience.

Cervino Green Development

  • Nestled at the foot of the Matterhorn in Breuil-Cervinia, Italy’s Aosta Valley, a group of hospitality entrepreneurs came together with a shared vision: to build a more sustainable future for one of the Alps’ most iconic destinations. From this collaboration, Cervino Green Development was created.

    Today, the initiative unites 15 hotels and chalets working collectively to strengthen the destination while reducing tourism’s environmental impact. Founded by local hospitality professionals, it is rooted in cooperation, long-term thinking, and deep respect for the alpine environment and community.

    Its mission is ambitious: to help position the Cervino/Matterhorn region among the world’s most sustainable iconic mountain destinations.

    Member properties collaborate on shared planning and innovation, combining traditional alpine knowledge with modern sustainability practices. A key milestone for the region is the Matterhorn Alpine Crossing, linking Italy and Switzerland via cable car between Plateau Rosà and Klein Matterhorn, allowing visitors to travel between Cervinia and Zermatt without road transport and significantly reducing vehicle emissions.

    Energy transition is also central. Hotels are adopting district heating, using locally produced hydroelectric energy, and improving waste management systems, including reduced plastic use and stronger recycling practices.

    Looking ahead, the initiative supports a long-term vision of low-emission mobility in Breuil-Cervinia, inspired by Zermatt’s car-free model, creating a more pedestrian-friendly alpine environment.

    Cervino Green Development is more than a hospitality alliance—it is a collective commitment to responsible mountain tourism where environmental protection, community well-being, and economic vitality advance together.

GuestOS

  • Mountain environments can change rapidly—storms intensify, roads close, and wildfires shift. In these moments, accurate information is critical. Yet communication across mountain destinations is often fragmented, with updates spread across disconnected systems.

    GuestOS was created to solve this. Built by leaders in mountain hospitality near Yosemite, it provides real-time, multilingual communication infrastructure tailored to high-traffic, high-risk environments. Destinations can update information once and instantly distribute it across voice and messaging channels, 24/7.

    Its value became clear during the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires. As conditions evolved, GuestOS deployed AI-powered hotlines delivering verified updates, reducing pressure on local agencies and ensuring consistent communication. Individuals accessed evacuation details quickly, and multilingual support ensured equitable access to critical information.

    Today, GuestOS serves as a centralized communication layer connecting resorts, lodging providers, transportation systems, and public agencies. It reduces inbound call volume, improves coordination, and accelerates the delivery of safety updates.

    Beyond efficiency, it strengthens resilience. Clear communication reduces confusion, limits unnecessary travel, and builds trust. As climate volatility increases, GuestOS redefines communication as essential infrastructure—ensuring that when conditions change, information moves just as quickly.

Purgatory Resort

  • At Purgatory Resort, we are committed to making skiing accessible, welcoming, and attainable for families and first-time guests. As rising costs and complexity limit participation, our programs are designed to remove barriers and grow the next generation of skiers.

    Our Free Skiing for Kids 12 and Under program eliminates one of the biggest financial hurdles for families, making it easier to plan trips and introduce children to the sport. This is a long-term commitment, not a promotion. We also offer a Parent Share Pass, allowing two parents to share one pass—reflecting how families actually ski and reducing costs.

    Through the Power Pass ecosystem, guests can choose from flexible, tiered options that fit different budgets and lifestyles, while gaining access to multiple destinations. Variable pricing for lift tickets further improves affordability during non-peak times.

    To address first-time hesitation, we provide a Free Beginner Experience—a 45-minute introductory lesson focused on comfort and confidence. This approach has helped earn Purgatory recognition as the top beginner-friendly ski area in North America.

    These initiatives are embedded in our operations, not one-offs. By lowering financial and experiential barriers, we are expanding access, strengthening our community, and ensuring skiing remains inclusive and sustainable for future generations.

Sugar Bowl Ski Resort

  • Over the past year, Sugar Bowl Resort has made significant progress in protecting the forests that define its mountain community. In 2025, nearly 200 acres were thinned to reduce wildfire risk, remove excess vegetation, and improve forest health—supporting the long-term resilience of the Donner Summit ecosystem.

    The resort is also exploring a biomass energy plant to convert forest-thinning byproducts into renewable energy, potentially powering lifts and facilities. In partnership with the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation’s Forest Future Initiative, Sugar Bowl established a fiscal sponsorship to raise charitable funds for expanded forest health and fuels-reduction projects, recognizing that wildfire resilience requires coordinated, landscape-scale efforts.

    Operationally, Sugar Bowl conducted a comprehensive waste audit with Waste Free Tahoe and is developing a Waste Action Plan to move toward zero waste to landfill. As an early step, the resort eliminated single-use plastics in its Village Lodge, shifting to reusable dining systems.

    Additional efforts include monthly energy reviews to improve efficiency and a free shuttle program, funded through local Transient Occupancy Tax dollars, to reduce vehicle trips and emissions.

    Together, these initiatives reflect an integrated strategy to reduce environmental impact, strengthen climate resilience, and support the surrounding community—ensuring the long-term sustainability of the mountain environment.

Visit Monterosa

  • Val d’Ayas Museo Diffuso and “I Misteri del Monte Rosa” is an integrated cultural tourism project that transforms an Alpine valley into a living, open-air museum. Located in Val d’Ayas at the foot of Monte Rosa in Italy’s Aosta Valley, it preserves and revitalizes both tangible and intangible heritage—historic villages, architecture, landscapes, traditions, and local identity—by spreading culture across the territory rather than confining it to a single site.

    Launched in 2022 by the Municipality of Ayas, the project combines physical signage with digital storytelling, allowing visitors to explore villages while accessing deeper context online. Supported by a scientific committee and expanded through regional funding, it offers a scalable, place-based model of mountain tourism rooted in authenticity and participation.

    A standout feature is the gamified “Escape Village” experience, where visitors solve puzzles and uncover local legends, turning heritage into an interactive journey. This approach increases engagement, especially for families and younger travelers, while encouraging exploration beyond traditional турист paths.

    The project benefits communities by preserving cultural identity and creating pride, while offering visitors a richer, more meaningful experience. It also diversifies tourism beyond seasonal activities and demonstrates how low-impact, knowledge-driven initiatives can enhance destination value. Ultimately, it presents an innovative, sustainable model for cultural tourism in mountain regions.

Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa

  • In 2025, the Town of Avon launched a Commercial Composting Pilot Program to divert food waste from landfills. While initially limited in scope, its impact grew significantly when The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa committed to composting across its entire property. This decision reduced waste while demonstrating leadership in sustainable mountain hospitality.

    Composting is one part of the resort’s broader environmental strategy. As the first Silver LEED-certified Westin in Colorado, the property has long prioritized sustainability and expanded its efforts in 2025 to enhance both operations and guest experience.

    The composting program included new infrastructure, staff training, and cross-department participation. Beyond waste diversion, the resort introduced electric guest shuttles, eliminated single-use plastics, added refillable amenities, and installed EV charging stations. Additional efforts include energy-efficient systems, low-flow fixtures, eco-friendly cleaning products, and a saline-based pool system that reduces chemical use by 90%. An on-site garden, supported by compost, supplies herbs and vegetables, while furniture donations to Habitat for Humanity extend impact into the community.

    These initiatives benefit the environment, reduce emissions, and support local sustainability goals while enhancing the guest experience. The Westin Riverfront’s comprehensive, scalable approach demonstrates how environmental responsibility can be fully integrated into mountain-destination hospitality without compromising quality or comfort.

WildReality Safari

  • WildReality Safari is a locally owned Tanzanian destination management company built on a simple belief: tourism should strengthen the communities it touches. Our journey began with limited resources, a small team, and a conviction that a Tanzanian-owned company could compete in global travel networks while keeping impact at home.

    Historically, high-value travel to Africa has often relied on international intermediaries, limiting how much economic value stays in destination. We set out to prove a locally led company could access international markets directly and retain revenue within Tanzania.

    Breaking into the North American mountain travel market was challenging. With little brand recognition and no clear precedent, we invested in operations, fleet upgrades, risk management, and workforce training—all within a fully Tanzanian-owned structure.

    In the past year, revenue grew from $150,000 to $450,000, and our team expanded to 20 full-time staff. We now work with over 200 local suppliers, ensuring tourism spending circulates within the country. A major milestone was winning an RFP from the Texas Ski Council to host 100 travelers in 2026.

    Our growth supports local employment, including nearly 200 porters annually on Kilimanjaro. We remain focused on sustainable, locally driven growth that strengthens communities and creates long-term opportunity.