NORTHERN IRELAND: Andras House Hotels, has gained Green Tourism certificates for all seven of its properties.
The Green Tourism programme recognises the commitment of those in the travel and tourism sector that are making strides to become sustainable. There are different levels of awards Gold, Silver and Bronze and on its website you can see which hotels and tourism businesses have achieved the certification.
Vicky Green, associate director of Andras House said: “Sustainability is part of our company culture and it is a priority for our guests as they seek to reduce their environmental footprint. Our general managers have embraced the opportunity to work alongside Green Tourism and Visit Belfast to achieve this major accolade.”
Visit Belfast and Belfast City Council work with Green Tourism to promote the scheme across the city. With Andras Hotels being awarded the accreditation it means an extra 1,000 rooms in the city are green – and half of Belfast’s rooms are accredited with the Green Tourism award.
Green Tourism guided Andras House in how to reduce energy, save water and use eco-friendly systems for waste disposal. It also helped with ethical buying, staying local and seasonal, minimising food miles and waste, promoting biodiversity and adopting a smart, sustainable pathway for the future across the entire portfolio.
The Andras Hotels portfolio includes the Crowne Plaza at Shaws Bridge Belfast, Holiday Inn Belfast City Centre, Hampton by Hilton Belfast City and two Ibis Hotels in the city.
Vicky Green added: “This certification is the start of the process. We have ambitious goals for the future and we look forward to working with our partners as we continue on our green journey.”
A Galway hotel has also just been nominated for the European Sustainability Awards.