Each year on 22 May, The International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) is celebrated, and in 2017 the theme of the IDB is "Biodiversity and Sustainable Tourism". Green Key is participating in IDB through its various biodiversity activities organised at the Green Key awarded establishments.
Beehives on the terrace of the Park Inn by Radisson Linz Hotel
In 2000, The United Nations declared 22 May as The International Day for Biological Diversity to raise awareness of biodiversity issues worldwide. Each year, the IDB is celebrated under another theme. This year, The Convention on Biological Diversity of the United Nations has chosen the theme "Biodiversity and Sustainable Tourism" to support the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development and to highlight the relationship between tourism and biodiversity.
“Biodiversity, at the level of species and ecosystems, provides an important foundation for many aspects of tourism. Recognition of the great importance to tourism economies of attractive landscapes and a rich biodiversity underpins the political and economic case for biodiversity conservation. Many issues addressed under the Convention on Biological Diversity directly affect the tourism sector. A well-managed tourist sector can contribute significantly to reducing threats to, and maintain or increase, key wildlife populations and biodiversity values through tourism revenue.”
Read the full statement about the IDB here
Being a standard of excellence in sustainable tourism, Green Key does inherently consider the protection and enhancement of biodiversity in its certification. To name a few examples: Food from endangered animals or plants are not permitted in Green Key awarded establishments, native plants are preferably to be used when maintaining the gardens and endangered plants and animals must not be sold or displayed in the establishments.
Many of our awarded sites go even beyond our criteria and do an outstanding work when it comes to the conservation of biodiversity:
- The Radisson Blu Elizabete Hotel in Riga (Latvia) not only hosts beehives on its rooftop, but also brews its very own honey craft beer out of the honey. read more
- The Thon Hotel EU located in Brussels (Belgium) has established a green roof and an insect hotel to increase biodiversity. read more
- In cooperation with the Floresta Unida Foundation, the NEYA Lisboa Hotel (Portugal) runs a reforestation project. read more
- Both the The Westin Paris-Vendôme (France) and the Park Inn by Radisson Linz Hotel (Austria) have beehives with honey bees that produce honey that in the hotels' restaurants. read more here and here
- The Hotel & Beach Club Villa Pescadores (Mexico) organised a coastal cleaning day with and introduction to biodiversity conservation. read more
Green Key would like to thank all awarded establishments for their commitment to biodiversity conservation and wishes everyone a happy International Day for Biological Diversity!