Cornish Gems Wins Responsible Travel Experience Award

Cornish Gems has been named the winner of the Responsible Travel Experience – Within the UK category at today’s Future Icons Awards, recognising the company for its work in sustainable, community-focused tourism.

Why Cornish Gems Stood Out

The judges highlighted Cornish Gems for its mix of eco-conscious interior design, year-round community engagement and measurable sustainability impact. Its Eco-Conscious Collection has grown by 47 per cent in the past two years and features properties designed with renewable energy and heating sources, water reduction strategies, electric car chargers and biodiverse landscaping.

Cornish Gems Interiors was also praised for using sustainably sourced interior and construction materials, upcycling and repurposing to reduce environmental impacts.

Building on Responsible Tourism

The award forms part of Cornish Gems’ long-term work in responsible tourism. In 2024 it became the first self-catering company in Cornwall to secure B Corp accreditation, which set the foundation for continuous improvement.

The business is also a Living Wage employer. This year it worked with a steering group to help secure Cornwall Real Living Place status, supporting more than 8,000 workers to move from the minimum wage to the Real Living Wage.

Emma Fashokun, ESG Strategy Lead at Cornish Gems, said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive this award, which validates our belief that exceptional travel experiences and environmental responsibility can and must go hand in hand. Our mission at Cornish Gems has always been to deliver luxury stays that are deeply rooted in the Cornish landscape, with respect for our local community, heritage and natural landscape, guiding everything we do.”

A Cornwall-Focused Luxury Portfolio

Founded in 2007 by Nadia Macer-Wright, the company now has 160 holiday homes across Cornwall, from small boltholes for two to large riverside properties sleeping up to twenty.

The portfolio caters for a wide range of budgets and includes the Extraordinary Gems collection, which focuses on properties sleeping eight or more. These come with features such as private pools, yoga studios, gyms, saunas, private pontoons and beaches, as well as gated premises for privacy and security.

Guests can also book concierge-style experiences including private dining, spa treatments and bespoke event hosting for weddings, corporate retreats and celebrations.

Cornish Gems Interiors

In 2021 the business launched Cornish Gems Interiors, its in-house design agency. It offers property owners a full service aimed at creating stylish and practical interiors with longevity in mind, strengthening the company’s role in the luxury holiday sector.

About the Future Icons Awards

Now in their second year, the awards celebrate brands, people and products whose focus on sustainability, quality and environmental responsibility sets new standards across multiple sectors.

Cornish Gems’ win places the company among this year’s recognised innovators.