Green Key certifies two hotels in the Maldives for the first time

The Sun Island and the Royal Island hotels from Villa Hotels & Resorts group have recently received the Green Key certification. The establishments, located in the Ari and Baa Atolls in the Maldives, are the first to hold the eco-label in the archipelago.

The Royal Island Premium All-Inclusive Resort is located in the protected UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Baa Atoll (©Villa Hotels & Resorts).

The Villa Hotels & Resorts group from the Maldives has two more reasons to be proud of its sustainability journey: the resorts Sun Island and Royal Island have joined the Green Key network, becoming the first to hold the eco-label in the Maldives archipelago. The certifications were granted to the Sun Island and Royal Island resorts after a rigorous process, where the two establishments were assessed against a high set of standards developed by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). 

For the Director of Villa Hotels & Resorts group Mahamood Shougee, the Green Key certification reflects the resorts' compromise toward a more sustainable future:

"With the vision to work towards carbon neutrality and fully sustainable islands; the resorts are thrilled to be Green Key certified - a testament to the dedication and passionate efforts the resorts have made towards a sustainable future. The resorts support the ecological balance of the islands while demonstrating a commitment to achieving best practices of environmental and social sustainability. Inviting guests to support the resort in maintaining the lush natural environment while being more environmentally conscious allows guests to immerse themselves in an unforgettable adventure that brings them closer to nature and inspires a deeper connection during their vacation."

Bicycle rental services are available to guests on both resorts. (©Villa Hotels & Resorts)

Over the last years, both establishments have implemented several sustainable practices and actions to reduce their environmental impact. For example, on the Sun Island resort, located in the largest of Maldives Islands, and close to the South Ari Marine Protected Area (SAMPA), the focus has been on cultivating and sourcing local produce later served in the resort's restaurant. Moreover, the Sun Island resort has also replaced plastic water bottles with glass bottles and donated all plastic for recycling in a partnership with a nonprofit organization. Among other sustainable initiatives, the resort has implemented eco-friendly techniques to reduce energy and water consumption, and it also organizes regular clean-ups on the islands with staff members and guests.

Also recently certified by Green Key is the Royal Island Premium All-Inclusive Resort, located in the protected UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Baa Atoll. Like the Sun Island hotel, the Royal Island resort invites guests to adopt energy and water-saving actions. For example, guests are encouraged to only request towels and linen washing when needed and to recycle and reuse as much as possible. The Royal Island hotel also collaborates with the DiveOceanus dive centre, located in the resort, to promote environmentally sustainable practices. The dive centre is 95% paperless, meaning all training material and administration and registration forms are digitally provided. 

The certified Green Key establishments encourage guests to respect and protect local biodiversity (©Villa Hotels & Resorts).

Green Key congratulates the Sun Island and Royal Island resorts for their efforts toward a more sustainable hospitality industry and for being the first Green Key certified establishments in the Maldives.

Visit the Sun Island and Royal Island websites to learn more about their sustainable actions.

Green Key International signs UNESCO Sustainable Travel Pledge

By signing the UNESCO and Expedia Group’s Sustainable Pledge, Green Key further strengthens its mission of promoting sustainable travel, community resilience and heritage conservation globally.

©Eddy Billard

Green Key’s endorsement of the UNESCO Pledge means a further 3,200 properties across more than 60 countries will become part of the UNESCO Pledge, taking the total to more than 9,000 properties worldwide. The Green Key eco-label initiative is overseen by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) and its national member organisations. Its priorities include increasing the use of environmentally friendly and sustainable methods and technology to reduce resource waste and helping to create sustainable behavioural change in the hospitality and tourism industry. It rigorously audits the high environmental standards expected of its sites, which include hotels, hostels, and holiday parks and other categories in the hospitality sector.

Consumers are increasingly aware of the impact travel can have on local environments, economies and individuals. A recent survey from Expedia Group revealed that nearly two in three (59%)1 travelers are willing to pay more to make their trip more sustainable. The willingness to spend extra on sustainability shows that the environment is top of mind for many travelers.

Since its creation in 2019, the UNESCO Pledge has expanded, with major hotel groups and independent hotels signing up and committing to concrete, transparent and achievable action. Participating hotels support the reduction and elimination of single-use plastics and waste, the conservation of energy and water, and promote sustainable community engagement. They receive a ‘We signed the UNESCO Sustainable Travel Pledge’ certificate, renew their commitment every year, and report on progress achieved. They also receive increased visibility with a badge on multiple travel booking sites across the Expedia Group marketplace.

Jean-Philippe Monod, SVP Government and Corporate Affairs, Expedia Group, said: “The number of organisations, hotels and properties signing up to the UNESCO Pledge is increasing at an astonishing pace, with more than 9,000 properties now committed to the cause. We are delighted to partner with Green Key - a champion of sustainable tourism - and this announcement demonstrates that more and more travel businesses are willing to make concrete and transparent commitments to sustainability as the threat of climate change becomes more real by the day.”

Ernesto Ottone R., Assistant Director-General for Culture of UNESCO, said: “The UNESCO Pledge provides a framework for action on the ground to improve livelihoods and chart a path to a more sustainable future for travel. The commitment from Green Key International represents a significant milestone, and we are pleased to welcome more than 3,000 new properties as advocates of the UNESCO Pledge. We urge others to sign up to the Pledge and commit to progress around these essential sustainable tourism priorities, from reducing single-use plastic to saving water and energy usage, and strengthening the engagement, benefit and resiliency of local communities.”

Finn Bolding Thomsen, Green Key International Director, said: “With Green Key being a leading standard of environmental and sustainable operations within the tourism industry, we are happy to enter a partnership with UNESCO and Expedia Group to support that thousands of properties across the world implement sustainable and resourceful practices to reduce the industry's overall environmental footprint."

The UNESCO Pledge is available on the Expedia Group and UNESCO global site.

"The ecolabel has paid off" – The example of DGI Byen in Denmark

The ecolabel contributed to cost reduction of the hotel and conference venue and improved its environmental strategy, according to the DGI Byen CCO (Chief Commercial Officer).

DGI Byen hotel and conference centre

As one of the 21 hotels that received the Green Key certificate in 2021 in Denmark, the DGI Byen hotel and conference centre is already benefiting from its decision of becoming a greener establishment. That is the opinion of Jesper Bremholm, the CCO of DGI Byen, who participated in the last of four Energitrim workshops organised by Sustain in January 2022. The last Energitrim workshop focused mainly on the importance of the Green Key certificate for hospitality businesses and the necessary steps for obtaining the eco-label.

Reflecting on the first year of DGI Byen with the Green Key certificate, the hotel and conference venue CCO Jesper Bremholm acknowledged that the company is already experiencing the advantages of being certified by Green Key. DGI Byen´s CCO explained that the ecolabel has not only helped the company to improve its environmental standards but also allowed DGI Byen to sell more.

To Green Key International, Jesper Bremholm clarified: “The ecolabel has paid off and brought advantages to our business as more customers today are concerned about environmental sustainability and therefore requires the ecolabel when they book location for meetings, conferences and so on. Also, our hotel guests are concerned about environmental sustainability, and we believe that having the Green Key label gets our hotel to appear in more online searches. In the economic perspective, it means that we gain customers who would not have chosen DGI Byen if we did not have the Green Key label.”

Moreover, Jesper Bremholm considers that the environmental work initiated through the Green Key certificate has allowed the hotel to better include both guests and employees in this new green strategy.

Greek tour operator to be the first to reduce environmental impact on excursions

The Greek company Avra Tours has signed an agreement with the Green Key National Operator in Greece to reduce the environmental footprint of its transports and excursions to the minimum.

Avra Tours has now a new green strategy, aligned with the Green Key sustainable standard. The company, which is the largest Greek inbound tour operator in the country, has entered an agreement with The Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature, the body responsible for the Green Key programme management in Greece.

The collaboration agreement was officialised by Avra Tours CEO Ioannis L. Dimitriadis and the President of the Board of Directors of HSPN, Nikolaos G. Petrol, also Vice President of the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). In a joint statement, both parties manifested their commitment and hope on this agreement, aligning with UN goals. They also emphasised the importance of joining synergies to create short and long term results for the tourism industry.

Avra Tours is further compromising to become the first Greek tour operator with the smallest environmental footprint on excursions and transports as part of this partnership. To achieve this goal, the Greek operator will offset its carbon footprint through the FEE Global Forest Fund, helping plant trees and educating new generations to become more sustainable in the near future.

Additionally, Avra Tours will also have stricter criteria for partnerships by only working with organisations and destinations actively engaging in sustainability practices or strategies. The Greek tour operator aims to encourage the businesses it collaborates with to reduce its environmental impact.

Green Key featured in The Historic Traveller magazine

The Historic Hotels of Europe publication has dedicated a page to the eco-label certificate, highlighting the recent changes in the Green Key programme.

Historic Hotels of Europe that promotes an incredible collection of hotels, manors and palaces throughout Europe has now published the third issue of its Historic Traveller magazine, with a page dedicated to the Green Key programme. In the article, the Green Key’s International Director, Finn Bolding Thomsen, reflects on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in the hospitality industry and Green Key’s role in supporting the certified hotels and other categories in the hospitality industry during these challenging latest years.

“During this uncertain time, we have supported our Green Key awarded establishments by showing flexibility in the certification process and by running campaigns that were tailored to the needs during the pandemic”, explains Finn Bolding Thomsen, adding that due to the recent worldwide events, the climate crisis is further becoming a top global concern.

The set of Green Key international standards for establishments is also highlighted in The Historic Traveller issue since the criteria have recently been strengthened to increasingly focus on the reduction of carbon emissions and pollution and the protection of biodiversity. Ultimately, the goal is to continue sharing the best practices of the certified establishments, as the Green Key International Director emphasises:

“Our ambition is to support our participating establishments through training, webinars, and other supporting tools […]. We also want to increase awareness of the guests visiting Green Key certified accommodation through information and involvement during the visit as well as promotion of the sustainability efforts through social media”.

Lastly, the Historic Traveller’s article on Green Key also addresses the intention of the eco-label organisation to join the Glasgow Declaration, which aims for a net-zero future by 2050.

More details on The Historic Hotels of Europe can be read here.

Green Key growing in Montenegro: Welcome CUE Podgorica!

Green Key is happy to welcome CUE Podgorica in the programme. The establishment located in Montenegro is appreciated for exploring how new technologies can benefit both guests and the environment.

Located at The Capital Plaza, the heart of Montenegro’s capital city Podgorica, CUE Podgorica enjoys a well-deserved reputation of trendy, chic and comfortable hotel with electric atmosphere, good food and excellent service.

But CUE Podgorica is more than just an elegant and vibrant place to be. The hotel also benefits from top-notch technologies used judiciously to monitor and reduce their energy and water consumption. A water leak on the system will be automatically notified and will be fixed within the hour. In guest bedrooms, air conditioning will switch off by itself if windows are opened, lights will turn on with motion detectors in hallways and low consumption light bulbs are used almost everywhere around the hotel.

 Guests can recharge their electric cars using one of the 5 power stations available in the hotel underground parking, go on eco-tours in the Podgorica surroundings or enjoy an electric scooter ride on trails by the Moraca river. All guest information is a simple click away by scanning a QR code and avoiding printing material where possible.

CUE Podgorica represents the avant-garde of the hospitality industry in Montenegro in terms of innovation towards sustainability and we are very honored to count them amongst our new Green Key members. We look forward to seeing how you keep striving for more sustainability in the hospitality industry!

Welcome Landal Middelfart!

The Holiday park Landal Middelfart has received the tourism industry’s international eco-label, Green Key. The holiday park is part of the chain Landal GreenParks, which has a total of seven holiday parks in Denmark.

Since Landal GreenParks came to Denmark in 2018, the holiday park chain has garnered recognition from the international tourism industry for its strong focus on sustainable operation and its efforts for the climate. As a receipt for the green work, the holiday parks in Denmark have been Green Key awarded.

Landal Middelfart will be the chain's sixth holiday park in Denmark to receive the green stamp.

Landal for a greener Denmark

“We are constantly working to make a difference for the climate and contribute to a greener Denmark. This applies in general as an organisation, but also in the daily operation of the holiday parks. Therefore, we are pleased that Landal Middelfart is now joining the list of our Green Key certified parks in Denmark. It is important for us to be able to show our guests that they help to take care of the environment when they choose to holiday with us, and the certification from Green Key contributes to that, ” says Kent Lodberg, Sales and Marketing Manager at Landal GreenParks in Denmark.

Landal took over Sund og Skov near Middelfart

In 2020, Landal GreenParks took over Sund og Skov Conference and Holiday Center, which subsequently changed its name to Landal Middelfart. Already a year after the takeover, Landal Middelfart has been awarded with the Green Key.

About Green Key  

The Green Key certificates serve as a guarantee to guests that shows that the holiday park chain makes a great environmental effort. Strict requirements are set for environmental areas such as water, energy, CSR and sustainable food, in order to achieve the green guarantee. In addition, the certificates require regular inspection visits and ongoing documentation to ensure that all obligations and requirements are met in the holiday parks.

Landal with Green Key in Denmark - and Europe

In Denmark, the chain includes the holiday parks Middelfart, Søhøjlandet, Seawest, Rønbjerg, Grønhøj Strand, Ebeltoft and Fyrklit, all of which offer active family holidays in nature. Since 2018, Landal GreenParks has invested more than DKK 25 million in the development of the parks to ensure sustainable facilities and indoor and outdoor activities for all ages. Landal GreenParks also has a goal of being CO2-neutral by 2030. The goal applies to all 99 holiday parks in Europe.

Mattress spring-cleaning without chemicals

The holiday park Landal Bad Kleinkirchheim in Austria found an effective and ecofriendly way to clean their mattresses, peace of mind and sweet dreams for their guests guaranteed. 

Copyright: Landal Bad Kleinkirchheim

After a long winter season without guests due to the Corona pandemic, the holiday park Landal Bad Kleinkirchheim can’t wait to open their doors again. While the tourist industry went into a forced hibernation, the park management decided to make the best out of the time and started their spring- cleaning early this year.  

In February, all of the park’s mattresses were cleaned and disinfected to ensure their guests that they can expect the highest hygiene standards when returning to Landal Bad Kleinkirchheim. And not only that – the cleaning was done without the use of any chemicals, ensuring that it is not only good for the guests but for the environment as well.  

During the processes, the mattresses are put into a cleaning truck that cleans them in four steps. First, they are vacuumed to remove all organic materials. In the second step, the mattresses are irradiated with UC light which kills 99,99% of the bacteria, viruses and mould on the surface. In the third step, active oxygen is used to eliminate the bacteria in the core of the mattress. In the final step, the mattresses are thermally treated to reduce the humidity in the core. The cleaning system is patented by the company SLEEP TIDY. 

News from our corporate partner: Purezza Premium Water

Green Key is happy to see how its corporate partner, Purezza Premium Water, keeps striving for more sustainability in the hospitality industry through its mission of removing single-use bottles.

Green Key and Purezza

Green Key and Purezza have decided to join forces since 2020 due to Purezza’s sustainability mission. Reducing the high levels of single-use packaging within the hotel industry is an important initiative that is right at the top of priorities in many establishments right now. Removing single-use bottled water from the supply chain and replacing these with a re-usable bottle solution is one of the most cost-effective methods an establishment can implement to make a really positive, immediate impact on achieving its green objectives.

About Purezza

Purezza Premium Water provides high-quality, sustainable water dispensing solutions and re-usable bottles that help venues replace single-use bottles and eliminate transport and delivery costs. As a global provider of freshly dispensed drinking water solutions that has direct supply and distribution in more than 60 countries, Purezza offers a comprehensive package to help hotels remove single-use bottles from almost any space where beverages are served. This includes solutions for the restaurant, bar, in-room, poolside, conference and event areas.

Purezza Premium Water provides guidance on how to implement dispensing services for venues of any size; from a simple installation for a café or restaurant, right up to a full-scale operation, such as dedicated bottling rooms for international hotel chains. Purezza has dispensing systems to suit any space and output requirements and world-leading technology to maximise hygiene and safety. Their flagship dispensing machine, the P2 Firewall™ Bar Classe Series, is the world’s first and only water dispenser in the hospitality industry to incorporate the highly-certified Firewall™ UVC purification technology.  Firewall™ technology has been tested and proven up to 99.99% effective in eliminating bacteria and viruses from drinking water and 99.99% effective against COVID-19. The Classe Series is also the only hospitality water dispenser to achieve the highly regarded HACCP certification globally.

Purezza’s eco-friendly, reusable bottle range replaces expensive pre-packaged water and, in both function and form, provides the ultimate in hygiene requirements whilst simultaneously elevating the user experience for both the venue and the customer.

 A step closer to sustainability

Choosing alternative water solutions like Purezza is a giant step towards adopting sustainable practices and achieving a venue’s environmental goals. Purezza has a high level of expertise through its core products, complemented by its extensive, multi-national client support and customer service network. Green Key International is happy to have Purezza as a corporate partner with the same missions of reducing the environmental footprint.

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For more information, visit www.purezzawater.com