The World Travel & Tourism Council’s Hotel Sustainability Basics initiative has now verified over 1,700 hotels in 70 countries worldwide.
The Basics program helps hoteliers on their first steps to improve their sustainability ratings.
WTTC President & CEO Julia Simpson marked the achievement and highlighted the commitment of the industry towards more sustainable practices.
Verified hotels include those in major tourist destinations such as France, China, Mexico, India, Germany, South Africa, Philippines, and Norway.
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 Hotel Group, Choice Hotels, and Radisson Hotel Group.
Other major travel brands joining the initiative include Intrepid Travel, British Airways Holidays, HBX Group, WebBeds and Abercrombie & Kent.
This independent hotel sustainability verification program, overseen by Green Key and SGS, enables hotels of all sizes to follow a 12-step program aimed at reducing carbon emissions, promoting conservation, and ensuring local communities benefit.
“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 and protecting nature,” said Julia Simpson, WTTC CEO.
‘We launched the hotel sustainability scheme only a year ago and the uptake has been incredible.”
