WORLDWIDE: More than 3,400 properties across 80 countries have now joined the WTTC’s Hotel Sustainability Basics programme, nearly doubling its numbers since March this year.
In March this year the Basics programme had 1,700 properties across 70 countries.
Designed to help hoteliers on their first steps to improve their sustainability ratings and raise the bar of sustainability across the global hospitality industry, the independent global sustainability verification programme is overseen by internationally recognised verifiers Green Key and SGS.
Basics means hotels and resorts of any size can follow a 12-step programme aimed at reducing carbon emissions, promoting nature conservation, and ensuring local communities benefit from a hotel’s operations.
Basics has achieved full alignment with Green Key, the international eco-label for tourism facilities, meaning all Green Key certified hotels are now in full compliance with Basics and can obtain the verification with no extra effort.
WTTC has also entered into a partnership with Danish tech start-up BeCause to help with relationships and visibility with Online Travel Agents (OTAs) such as Booking.com, to showcase those hotels which are committed to sustainable operations.
Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO said: “WTTC’s Hotel Sustainability Basics is a powerful testament to our collective effort in promoting sustainable practices in the hospitality industry.
“Reaching 3,400 verified properties is not just a milestone; it’s a clear indication that the industry is ready to embrace sustainability on a global scale. This initiative is about uniting hotels, industry partners, and sustainability standards to create a future that is resilient, responsible, and respectful of our planet.”
Hotels groups from major Travel & Tourism destinations including Germany, China, Mexico, UAE, Sweden, Spain, India, Madagascar and Turkey have joined the initiative.
Major hotel brands which have now adopted ‘Basics’ include Jin Jiang, one of the world’s biggest hotel groups with more than 10,000 hotels, European hotel giant Louvre Hotels Group, Choice Hotels, and Radisson Hotel Group.
You can read more about the Basics programme and how WTTC has created it as an international sustainability standard below.
WTTC and Biosphere partner to take Hotel Sustainability Basics to next level
Image supplied WTTC