Helsinki Travel Fair 2019 with focus on sustainable travel

Green Key Finland actively participated in the Helsinki Travel Fair 2019, the largest annual travel fair in the Nordics, where the theme of the Fair in 2019 was sustainability in travel

The first two days of the four-day event was focused on travel professionals, and the last two days on consumers. During the first two days, travel industry actively discussed sustainability and presented best practices. Environmental sustainability was somewhat a focal issue, but also social, cultural and economic sustainability was included in many discussions.

Green Key Finland participated in a panel discussion by ICRT Finland, which is the official local partner for Professor Harold Goodwin’s International Centre for Responsible Tourism. The topic for the panel was Actions for Sustainability, and was thus a natural theme and of course the core for Green Key.

Marketta Viljasaari, Programme Director for Green Key Finland, highlighted the important every-day actions by Green Key awarded establishments in Finland. These examples included reduction in use of plastics, increasing use of LED-lights or taking out minibars from individual rooms and replacing them with fridges or lockable cold storage at reception as energy saving actions. The use of water-saving taps and showers, waste reduction and recycling and activities involving customers were also highlighted. Marketta Viljasaari stressed the importance of communicating environmental actions and raising awareness among staff and guests, and showed examples of these.

During the Helsinki Travel Fair, Green Key Finland also gave a presentation under the topic ‘Positive Power to Protect the Planet’ targeted for the consumer audience. Here, Marketta Viljasaari gave easy tips for all travellers how to make sustainable choices when planning a trip and selecting the destination and accommodation. Green Key awarded establishments were presented as examples of vast the variety of choices available for travellers, e.g. local transportation using bicycles, local food or visiting local nature sites.

Green Key celebrates 25th anniversary

This year Green Key celebrates its 25th years anniversary. Initally launched in Denmark, today it has around 3,000 awarded establishments in almost 60 countries worldwide and is the global leading eco-label for hotels and other tourism facilities.

In 1994, the Green Key programme was invented by the Danish Hotel & Restaurant Association (HORESTA) together with other partners. The programme was inspired by the successful Blue Flag eco-label for beaches, marinas and boats.

The support from Danish authorities to Green Key as well as the increased focus on environmental issues globally assisted in making the Green Key programme known in Denmark.

From 1998, the founders started exporting the concept to other countries and France became the first country to introduce Green Key in 1998, and the programme quickly spread to other countries including Greenland, Sweden and Estonia.

Since 2002, Green Key the programme has been administered by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) and its national member organisations, while the decisions regarding the development of the programme are taken by a Green Key International Steering Committee composed of the founders and FEE.

Through FEE’s membership network, Green Key was introduced in a range of countries. In 2007, an existing Dutch eco-label joined forces with Green Key, and since 2010, Green Key has been working closely together with international hotel chains: Radisson Hotel Group, Starwood Hotel Group (now part of Marriott International), Best Western and recently the NH Hotel Group.

Radisson Blu Hotel Astorija, Vilnius, Lithuania

Green Key was first started for hotels and a few other categories, but is today eligible for hotels & hostels, campsites & holiday parks, small accommodations, restaurants, conference centres and attractions. Detailed information about criteria as well as the standardised annual application, audit and award process is available on the Green Key website.

Finn Bolding Thomsen, International Director says: “Today, Green Key has around 3,000 awarded establishments in almost 60 countries worldwide making it the leading eco-label for hotels and other tourism facilities worldwide. Besides our continued focus on quality and quantity, the programme is developing tools to measure the effect of the programme and to support the applicant and awarded establishments in their sustainability work.” 

Green Key is recognised by various UN organisations, Global Sustainable Tourism Council (has recognised the Green Key hotel & hostel criteria) and Green Key has partnered with various businesses, tour operators and a range of online booking and travel agencies. 

Kirsten Munch Andersen, Political Director at HORESTA says: “Green Key is created in a joint venture between environmental organisations, the tourism industry and public institutions and it is based on a pragmatic and trustworthy Danish model. We have created a unique non-profit environmental certification which focuses on the collaboration between the involved establishments in a pace where the establishment itself sees the rationale in taking the lead.”

  There is more information about the start of Green Key in Denmark in a publication developed by HORESTA called ‘From a Basement to the World – the story of Green Key’.

NH Hotel Group and Green Key announce a collaboration agreement

NH Hotel Group and Green Key announce a collaboration in which Green Key will support NH Hotel Group in achieving its ambitious sustainability goals

Sustainability is one of the main strategic values for NH Hotel Group, which prioritizes innovation in order to develop eco-efficient solutions. NH Hotel Group’s sustainability perspective is built on three principles: a) ‘We care for the people we host’, b) ‘We care for the destinations where our hotels are located’, and c) ‘We care for the planet we all live on’. The main focus of the group's sustainability work is with energy, water, responsible suppliers, carbon footprint and climate change.

 Since 2007, the Group has been working on sustainability.  starting with the Group’s first Strategic Sustainability Plan that year, the carbon footprint per room sold has been reduced by 72%, energy consumption by 34% and water consumption by 31%.

These results have been achieved thanks to many efficiency initiatives and procedures implemented in the Company’s hotels. Certifications such as Green Key help NH Hotel Group to improve further and represent a strong commitment with the environment.

“Sustainability and environmental performance are a key pillar for NH Hotel Group. Our hotels are engaged in sustainability and eco-innovative work, in fact, 140 NH properties have achieved a Green Key or another distinction for their activities. We are happy to continue the cooperation with Green Key through this global agreement,” said Ana Pinedo Lozano, Executive Environment & Sustainability – Operations.

During 2018, 6 new hotels of NH Hotel Group have been awarded with this certification reaching in total 46 hotels located in Belgium, France, Mexico, South Africa and The Netherlands. The 6 new hotels with the Green Key certification are: NH Brussels Bloom and NH Brussels EU Berlaymont in Brussels (Belgium); NH Centro Histórico in Mexico City and NH Collection Guadalajara Providencia, in Guadalajara (Mexico); NH The Lord Charles in Cape Town (South Africa); NH Collection Eindhoven Centre in Eindhoven (The Netherlands).

“We are proud to be an official cooperation partner to NH Hotel Group. Today, 46 NH hotels in the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Mexico and South Africa have already achieved Green Key, and other hotels are working towards meeting the Green Key requirements. Through our support, we are looking forward to inspire the NH hotels to continue upgrading their sustainability performance. Any NH hotels interested in pursuing Green Key is welcome to contact us for more information.” said Finn Bolding Thomsen, Green Key International Director.

About NH Hotel Group

NH Hotel Group is a consolidated trusted operator and one of the leading urban hotel companies in Europe´s business segment with a wide presence in America. The Company operates over 350 hotels in 28 countries under the brands NH Collection, premium upper-upscale hotels with iconic buildings located in the major capitals; NH Hotels, trustworthy upscale urban hotels offering the best value for money at the best locations; and nhow, unconventional and cosmopolitan design hotels with unique personalities inspired by the city vibe.

Since January 2019, NH Hotel Group is part of Minor Hotels, an international hotel owner, operator and investor based in Thailand. Joining their complimentary portfolios, NH and Minor operate a total of 7 brands spanning over 5 continents and make up one of the top 20 largest hotel platforms in the world.

About Green Key

Green Key is the world’s leading eco-label for hotels and other tourism facilities with around 3,000 awarded establishments in almost 60 countries around the world. The Green Key award is based on compliance with a strict set of criteria that include environmental management, environmental awareness raising and social responsibility. Green Key’s criteria for hotels and hostels are recognized by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). Green Key’s application, audit and award processes are also standardized and there is always a third-party verification of the award. Green Key is endorsed by various UN organizations, international hotel chains, hospitality industry related companies and online booking and travel agencies.

Green Key Denmark starts 2019 with seven new establishments

At the Green Key Danish Jury meeting in December 2018, seven establishments have been awarded with the Green Key for its environmental efforts

Two of the new Green Key establishments belong to Arp Hansen Group’s budget hotels: Wakeup Aarhus and the chain’s brand new Wakeup Bernstorffsgade located by the Central Station in Copenhagen. They join the other two labeled hotels Wakeup Borgergade and Wakeup Carsten Niebuhrs Gade. The Wakeup concept is environmentally improved with LED lighting everywhere, improved waste separation, reduction of plastic tableware and – products and an increased purchase of eco-friendly products.  Read more about their environmental efforts here.  

 Kompas Aalborg Hotel joins a number of green hotels in the city of Aalborg. The former sailors’ home has just been restored with a range of environmental upgrades as well as a new reception area and an expansion of the number of rooms to 111. 

In the center of Copenhagen you will find a smaller, family owned hotel Hotel Christian IV which has also been Green Key awarded . The 42-room hotel has a motivated management having launched a procedure where the environment is incorporated in all processes.

There are also two additional conference centres with the Green Key: Roskilde Kongrescenter – is a modern venue with room for all kinds of events e.g. workshops, conferences and fairs to shows and parties. The conference centre in Roskilde has initiated a lot of of environmental initiatives which became very clear in their application for Green Key where they documented their many plans for the future.

Another conference and music venue Hotel Cecil, has been rebuilt and renovated with a focus on water and energy saving. The establishment has also reused the previous interior and extended the use of LED concert lightning.

The cosy Dronning Louises Tehus located north of Copenhagen is likewise Green Key awarded. The tea house is situated at the edge of Bernstoffsparken in the middle of a fragrant rose garden. Even though the old tea house is preserved, the building has been environmentally improved in cooperation with the local authorities and the agency for culture and palaces.

Wales gets the world’s first Green Key awarded brewery visitor centre

The Green Key programme achieves a world first as the Bluestone Brewing Company Visitor Centre gains accreditation

The Bluestone Brewing Company have been recognised for their sustainability efforts, and their visitor centre has become the first in the world to achieve the Green Key award in the attractions category. They are a micro-brewery based at Tyriet Farm, just outside of Newport in Pembrokeshire in Wales. The brewery and visitor centre were built in renovated farm buildings that are over 300 years old. They are a family run business and pride themselves on being eco-friendly.

Bluestone Brewing company said:

Being green has always been a huge part of Bluestone Brewing Company, so the Green Key accreditation seemed like the perfect thing for us to apply for. To be recognised as the first Green Key Brewery Visitor Centre in the world is just amazing. Hopefully, people will see what we are doing and be inspired to try to make their own businesses as green as possible. Going through the Green Key process has helped to highlight areas where we could improve, but it has also made us feel very proud of what we have already achieved to date.

 Lesley Jones, Chief Executive for Keep Wales Tidy (the organisation managing Green Key in Wales) said:

We’d like to congratulate the Bluestone Brewing Company on their success in becoming the world’s first brewery visitor centre to achieve Green Key accreditation. We’ve seen mounting concern about the damage that’s being caused to our natural environment, so it’s important to recognise and celebrate Welsh businesses that are taking the lead globally on sustainability.

The brewery is unique in the sense that its uses its own water supply, where the water filters down through the surrounding Preseli Mountains and collects in a home built well. The environment agency regularly test the water and it has been found to be perfect for use without any filtration or purification. All waste water production from the brewery is gravity piped to a reed bed filtration system before it is returned to a local trout stream. The brewery also has solar panels fitted on top of the brewery building, allowing them to use a sustainable source of energy for the visitor centre and shop. In 2017, they also constructed a grass roof for the stage area, where they have planted shrubs and designed their own self-watering system.

The brewery has recently converted an old and tumbling down traditional stone building into a building suitable for a bottling plant. The bottling plant will cut transport costs and a round trip of some 345 miles per bottling run, significantly reducing their carbon footprint. the office they only used recycled paper in the printers and all light bulbs are energy saving.  Any waste cardboard is given to the local gardening club to use in the garden. The aim of the establishment is to have zero waste going to landfill by the end of 2019.

For more details on the Bluestone Brewing Company’s work on sustainability visit their website www.bluestonebrewing.co.uk/green-key-success/

Kamp Menina - the first Green Key campsite in Slovenia

Green Key awarded Kamp Menina in Slovenia is a family oriented campsite that is located in beautiful natural surroundings and offer a range of activities

Kamp Menina is placed in the perfect location for a campsite. Away from traffic and busy roads, just by the pure Alpine river Savinja, with lots of forest around the site and it’s own swim lake. So swimming, water sports and fishing are available just by the campsite.

Since 2000, the owners Jurij Kolenc and Katja Cafuta have successfully revived Kamp Menina and tourism in the Upper Savinja Valley. Their personal touch satisfying their guests and keeping the campsite in a high standard give their guests an unforgettable vacation experience in the charms and beauties of the Savinja valley. The campsite is family oriented with loads of activities including an adrenaline park with zip line, a nearby sport park with all kinds of sport fields, and around the lake they offer all kind of water actitivies.

Jurij Kolenc, the camp owner, said: “We are very proud to be awarded with the Green key eco-label. We had to change many things, but we are aware that we will have to do even more to meet the expectations of our respectful guests. We want to preserve nature for future generations, and we believe that it is the last chance to actively raise awareness about the sustainable use of natural resources.”

Welcome to this Green Key small paradise and make your holidays as active as possible!

First Green Key awarded hotel in Ethiopia

The Radisson Blu Hotel, Addis Ababa is the first Green Key awarded establishment in Ethiopia, raising the number of participating countries to 58!

Copyright Radisson Blu Hotel, Addis Ababa

Radisson Blu Hotel in Addis Ababa is centrally located within Ethiopia’s capital city—adjacent to the United Nations Compound and 6 kilometers from Bole International Airport. The hotel is also a short distance from the city’s main points of interest, such as the Imperial Palace, Meskel Square and Holy Trinity Cathedral.

The hotel has many great social and environmental initiatives such as donating unused linen and clothes to an orphanage, supporting a retirement home and engaging guests in tree planting activities. Furthermore, over 95% of the food and beverages in the hotel are locally sourced.

Learn more about the hotel here

Copyright Radisson Blu Hotel, Addis Ababa

Copyright Radisson Blu Hotel, Addis Ababa

Folly Farm Adventure Park & Zoo having a high focus on communication and engagement of guests in its sustainability work

The Green Key awarded attraction in Wales has been upgrading its work with resource saving and has created an energy centre in its Jolly Barn attraction which looks into its biomass plant and informs guests about its sustainability initiatives and performance.

Folly Farm Adventure Park & Zoo, located in the Pembrokeshire region of Wales, was named the 10th best zoo in the world by TripAdvisor in the 2017 Travellers’ Choice Awards.

Folly Farm is not only focusing on being a fun location to spend your day. The attraction has been awarded with the Green Key since 2016 as recognition of its outstanding performance in the saving of energy and water resources, high level of waste separation and its excellent environmental information.

Folly Farm is actively informing guests about its environmental performance through large signs in the energy centre, and encourages guests to participate in waste separation through fun-looking bin stations.  

“We’re delighted to have been recongnised by Green Key since 2016 for our commitment to sustainability. Our ‘Working for the Future’ group has worked hard to introduce a number of waste reduction and energy saving initiatives and this award recognises their hard work and the company’s commitment to green, sustainable energy.”

Folly Farm

For more information about Folly Farm Adventure Park & Zoo, please visit their website.

Interest for Green Key in Armenia

During a series of workshops held in Yerevan (Armenia) on 3-6 December 2018, participants from national authorities and a range of local B&Bs (Bed & Breakfast sites) expressed interest for Green Key 

The Green Key workshops in Armenia were organised by the consultancy company, Soluton, in cooperation with the SME DNC (Small and Medium Entrepreneurship Development National Center of Armenia) under the Ministry of Economic Development and Investments, and the workshops are kindly supported financially by GIZ, the German Corporation for International Cooperation “Private Sector Development and Technical Vocational Education and Training South Caucasus” Project. The Green Key International Director attended the workshops as well.

In the capital, Yerevan, most accommodations available are hotels, but accommodation in the countryside of Armenia is mainly covered by small B&Bs. Green Key in Armenia should therefore be focusing on attracting hotels as well as small accommodations to the programme.

Ahead of the workshops, surveys had been conducted among B&Bs in Armenia revealing interest for Green Key. This interest was confirmed during the workshop by the attending representatives from 11 B&Bs as well as by the Armenian B&B Association. The B&B owners stressed the importance to take local uniqueness into consideration.

Another workshop was held among national stakeholders with representatives from the public, private and NGO sector. Here it was stressed that it would be preferable to identify an Armenian NGO to be the national administrator of the Green Key programme in Armenia.

A training workshop was also held for individual trainers to facilitate the introduction of Green Key in Armenia by supporting the B&B owners with training on how to implement environmental standards at the individual businesses. 

Areg Karapetyan, CEO of Solution, says: “I am happy to know the positive outcome of the workshops and Soluton will work on the next steps, including the establishment of an Armenian Green Key office and the introduction of the programme to hotels and B&Bs in Armenia.”

Finn Bolding Thomsen, Green Key International Director, adds: “It is a pleasure to be invited to Armenia to experience first-hand the welcome of Green Key as a possible suitable initiative for Armenia and the wider region. I will be looking forward to continue the cooperation.”