WORLDWIDE: The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has now verified more than 1,700 properties across 70 countries under its Hotel Sustainability Basics programme.
Hotel Sustainability Basics was launched in 2022 and is an independent global sustainability verification programme, overseen by certification firm Green Key and auditing company SGS.
Participating hotels follow a 12-step programme aimed at reducing carbon emissions, promoting nature conservation, and ensuring local communities benefit from the hotel’s operations. You can read more about the programme in our previous report here.
Just a couple of months ago WTTC said that it had verified 1,300 hotels, and this figure has now risen to more than 1,700 properties.
Major hotel groups including China’s Jin Jiang, Louvre Hotel Group and Radisson Hotel Group have all adopted Hotel Sustainability Basics, alongside travel and tourism destinations including France, China, Mexico, India, Germany, South Africa, the Philippines and Norway.
In October WTTC announced a new partnership with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), which endorses Hotel Sustainability Basics while paving the way for a stepped progression toward GSTC Certification for sustainable hotels.
The milestone was announced at this week’s ITB Berlin travel trade fair, with Julia Simpson, WTTC President and CEO, stating:
“Our goal is to have a globally recognised trademark that shows customers at a glance, that a hotel is supporting the planet by saving energy, cutting plastics, protecting nature, and supporting their local community. It is a win win.
“We launched the scheme only a year ago and the uptake has been incredible. 70 countries have signed up with over 1700 properties verified with a long waiting list. It will bring lasting change.
“I would like to thank Glen Mandziuk at the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, Randy Durband at GDST, along with our partners at the Azerbaijan Tourism Board for providing the intellectual rigour and drive to make this happen.”
WTTC recently partnered with Biosphere – the international sustainability management and certification system of the Responsible Tourism Institute – to promote and advance sustainability criteria under the Hotel Sustainability Basics initiative.
WTTC and Biosphere partner to take Hotel Sustainability Basics to next level
Image supplied by WTTC.