Jalsa is the recipient of the Order of the Polar Star - the highest civilian honor - from the President of Mongolia for his leadership in supporting sustainable tourism development in Mongolia beginning in 1990, when he founded Nomadic Expeditions. Twelve years later, he built Three Camel Lodge, the country's first authentic ecolodge, also named one of the 25 Best Lodges in the world by National Geographic Traveler in 2013.

WLA: You have been working for more than 20 years to promote Mongolia as a travel destination. Why do you think sustainable tourism matters?

Jalsa: To me, that is like asking why saving the planet matters. Tourism can be a powerful force for good when it is done properly, and sustainable tourism is all about doing tourism the right way - to benefit local communities, to support conservation, and to protect cultural heritage. It is not easy to accomplish, but it is very important, especially in countries like Mongolia, where the alternative is activities like unsustainable mining operations, which destroy the natural landscape and pollute the environment.

WLA: What is it like being a judge for the World Legacy Awards?

Jalsa: A lot of hard work (laughs)! It is a very rigorous vetting process to review and select the finalists and winners. But more than anything else, it is also an incredible honor. To begin with, meeting and getting to know my fellow judges from all around the world has been a true inspiration - they are an amazing group of dedicated people working hard on conservation initiatives, poverty alleviation, and ensuring that tourism does not conquer the planet, but enhances it, making the world a better place for all of us. On the other end of the spectrum is going through all the award entries and learning about the great work being done by travel companies, governments and local communities to harness the power of travel to do good. It renews my faith in humanity and also in the tourism industry, to lead the way to a brighter and better future for us all.

WLA: Is it difficult to pick one company over another if they are all doing good work?

Jalsa: Yes, it is very difficult, but it is also an excellent process that begins with each judge individually scoring the award entries against a set of global sustainable tourism criteria - ranging from environmental footprint to fair wages and benefits - with emphasis given to the particular focus of each award category. From there, the judge's individual scores are averaged to come up with the top scoring contenders. Then we get together either in person or on a conference call, and discuss the merits of each in order to decide on the finalists and winners. Sometimes we all end up with the same top picks. Other times we differ and challenge each other to explain our positions. The goal is to reach consensus - which is most often the case. If we are unable to come to consensus, we each vote. This process includes nearly 20 different judges and 5 different award categories!

WLA: Do you think travel awards are important?

Jalsa: That depends on who is running them and the quality of the judging process. I consider WLA the pinnacle of what a travel award should be about - rigorous vetting, a truly global panel of judges representing different cultural perspectives and geographic regions, and recognition by National Geographic, one of the most respected travel, educational and scientific organizations in the world. But beyond that, and as a tour operator and ecolodge owner myself, I can tell you that it is nice to be recognized for years of hard work to make tourism a positive force in the world, to know that someone is paying attention. And the traveler also benefits by knowing who the best travel companies and destinations are to book for their next holiday.