Apply now for the Global Responsible Tourism Awards 2021!

WTM Responsible Tourism has opened the nominations for the Responsible Tourism Awards 2021. Until 31 August you can nominate yourself or other tourism businesses, organisations and destinations that are the front-runners in responsible tourism.

Each year, WTM Responsible Tourism, a programme of interviews, panels and debates of the World Travel Market, launches its Responsible Tourism Awards to recognise responsible tourism practices and initiatives that are inspiring others across the travel and tourism industry. The programme was launched to unite travel companies, organisations and individuals interested in spreading sustainable practices and ethical methods.

For the first time in 2021, there will be Global Award winners selected by an international panel of judges drawn from the Gold Award winners from the Regional Awards in Africa, India, Latin America and the Rest of the World. The winners will be announced at WTM London 1-3 Nov 2021.

This year, there are six award categories:

Decarbonising Travel & Tourism

Climate change is with us. It is something we now have to learn to live with. Climate change will have profound consequences for businesses in our sector and people and wildlife in originating markets and destinations. We must also find ways to reduce the amount of carbon that people travelling and on holiday cause to be emitted. We have to change the production and consumption of tourism – travel, accommodation, attractions and activities all need to act to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Through the Awards we would like to showcase examples of technologies, management systems and ways of changing consumer behaviour that have demonstrably reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

Sustaining Employees and Communities through the Pandemic

We recognise that the pandemic is far from over, and as the World Health Organization rightly reminds us, we are not safe until we are all safe. It will take many more months before travel and holiday volumes recover to whatever the “new normal” will be. We are aware that many businesses and organisations in the travel and tourism sector have worked hard to sustain their employees and the communities in which they operate with really positive impacts around the world. Many of these efforts have involved others in their supply chain and consumers. We would like to recognise and draw attention to those who have successfully helped others, employees and neighbours alike, to weather the storm.

Destinations Building Back Better Post-COVID

In the Awards last year, we saw several destinations which were beginning to rethink the tourist volumes and market segments that they will attract post-Covid and some who were considering demarketing. The apparently inexorable increase in visitor numbers has been halted by the pandemic. Many destinations have had a “breather”. A reminder of what their place was like before the hordes arrived. An opportunity to rethink tourism and perhaps to decide to use tourism rather than be used by it.

Increasing Diversity in Tourism: How inclusive is our industry?

We travel to experience other cultures, communities, and places. If everywhere was the same, why travel? Though we seek diversity through travel, we’ve noticed that diversity is not always reflected in the industry that helps others have such experiences. Diversity is a broad term: “identities include, but are not limited to, ability, age, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, immigration status, intellectual differences, national origin, race, religion, sex, and sexual orientation.” We do not expect to find an organisation that has made demonstrable progress on all of these in the last few years. For our industry, it is about who we employ at various levels, who we market to, the way we present the destinations we sell, the range of experiences we promote, and the stories we tell.

Reducing Plastic Waste in the Environment

The Covid-19 pandemic has dramatically increased the amount of single-use plastic, adding to the plastic waste crisis. Plastic waste is now entering the food chain of other species as well as ours. Once plastic enters watercourses, it ends in gyros of garbage in the oceans, on beaches and in the stomachs of fish we then eat. The industry needs to do more to reduce its use of single-use plastics and take responsibility and work with local communities and their governments to capture waste plastic with nets and floating barriers and upcycle it for as cobbles, furniture and crafts.

Growing the Local Economic Benefit

There is still a place for CSR1.0 and philanthropy, as is evident from last year’s Sustaining Employees and Communities through the Pandemic category. However, by adapting the way they do business, accommodation providers and tour operators can create additional market opportunities for local communities in their supply chains and create opportunities to sell goods and services directly to tourists. This diversifies the local economy and enriches the destination in both senses, creating additional livelihoods for locals and a richer range of activities, food and drink, and craft and art products for tourists. Destinations can assist these changes by, amongst other things, providing micro-finance, training and mentoring, creating marketplaces and performance spaces and providing marketing assistance.

If you are a tourism establishment with activities or projects that fit in one of the categories above, or if you know of a tourism establishment that deserves the prestigious award, ENTER the awards or NOMINATE a business, organisation or destination.

For more information about the Global Responsible Tourism Awards please visit: https://www.wtm.com/responsible-tourism/en-gb/awards.html

First Green Key certified establishment in Madagascar!

The Tamboho Boutik Hotel located in Antananarivo is the first tourism establishment to receive the Green Key in Madagascar.

Green Key is pleased to announce its first awarded establishment in Madagascar. Ideally located in Ankorondrano, in the private and secured Tana Water Front, the Tamboho Boutik Hotel provides guests privacy and tranquility just a stone’s throw away from the city center and close to the business area. Settled on the shore of a small lake on one side and on a mini-mall with cinema and shops on the other, the Tamboho provides a perfect blend of Malagasy traditional architecture and western comfort.

Despite the pandemic, the management of the Tamboho Boutik Hotel decided to pursue the Green Key to show their returning guests that they care for the local community and the environment.

The hotel has implemented some fantastic initiatives that showcase its commitment to sustainability. For example, they started the campaign “A brunch @ Tamboho = A tree planted with Bondy”. For each brunch sold, the hotel plants one tree with the organisation Bondy. So far, 1, 250 trees have been planted as part of this project. To ensure that the planted trees are taken care of, Bondy works closely with the landowners and ensures that they can benefit from the trees.

Another great initiative is the hotel’s cooperation with the project “Fanavotana”. The women working in the Fanavotana project collect selected materials from the hotel such as glass, plastic, metal and paper and sell them to professional recycling facilities. Parts of the materials are also used to make jewellery, which is sold at the reception of the hotel

Furthermore, the hotel offers free filtered water to its guests in the guest rooms and the restaurant, replacing the previously offered plastic water bottles with reusable glass bottles. With this initiative, the hotel avoided the use of 37,560 plastic bottles in the guest rooms in the past year.

In addition, the hotel supported the project “Diary Nofy” by “Teach for Madagascar”, which conducted a story writing contest for children. The five best stories were published in a book that was sold at the reception of the hotel. The earnings were used to produce more books which were then distributed to public schools nationwide by the volunteers from Teach for Madagascar. To promote the book, the hotel organised reading sessions in their garden for children from disadvantaged neighbourhoods.

François van Rens, cluster general manager of Tamboho Suites & Hotels about their sustainability efforts and Green Key certification:

Initiatives like these especially with engaged partners give us the opportunity to play an active and positive role in our community and environment. Seeing our efforts recognized by Green Key makes us immensely proud and motivates us to go further.

Green Key congratulates the first certified establishment in Madagascar that is leading the way to sustainable tourism development in the country.

Visit https://www.tambohosuites.com/ to learn more about the hotel.

New report on single-use plastics aims to advance sustainability in the tourism industry

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), launched a major new report, addressing the complex issue of single-use plastic products within the tourism and hospitality industry and providing guidelines to avoid single-use plastics altogether.

In recent years, the reduction of single-use plastics has been one of the main concerns of the hospitality industry. Leading hotel chains started to ban the use of plastic straws or replaced travel-sized toiletries with dispensers. Since July 2021, the EU no longer allows certain single-use plastic items to be placed on the Member States market, a policy that supports the growing trend of switching to reusable or more eco-friendly alternatives.

However, there is still a lot of work ahead of the industry to become plastic-free. Water bottles, plastic bags, bin liners, food packaging and cups are among the biggest plastic polluters for which solutions need to be found. Rethinking the way we consume is an enormous task that requires the involvement of multiple stakeholders.

In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic was a set-back for the efforts of many businesses to reduce the amount of plastic waste as the safety and hygiene concerns required to reintroduce some items that were already banned, and take-away becoming a major income for those businesses offering food.

However, the pandemic also had some positive impacts on the demand for sustainable solutions, not only in tourism but in general. We were confronted with the negative impacts of the way we treat our planet and realised that we need to change our consumption patterns to keep it viable. Being confronted with all the additional plastic waste that we produced due to the pandemic catalysed the demand for change.

The report of the WTTC and UNEP recognises the need for global solutions to the ‘plastic problem’ and aims to support informed decision making in the tourism industry. It explains the challenges in detail and provides recommendations for tourism businesses and policy-makers.

You can download the report here: ‘Rethinking Single-Use Plastic Products in Travel & Tourism’

76% of travellers pledging to seek out accommodation that has sustainability accreditation

Booking.com’s latest Sustainable Travel Report affirms a growing demand for sustainable travel and reveals how the ‘pandemic effect’ could translate the travellers’ intend to travel more sustainably into impactful action.

For the sixth consecutive year, Booking.com released its Sustainable Travel Report which gives some very interesting insights into the demand for sustainable travel. The results prove that sustainable tourism is not a niche market anymore, but that travellers demand that the accommodation they choose take actions to protect the environment and support the local community.

Some interesting results from the report at a glimpse:

• 61 % of travellers state that the pandemic has made them want to travel more sustainably in the future

• 81% of travellers intend to stay in a sustainable accommodation, at least once in the upcoming year, compared to 73% in 2019 and 65% in 2017

• 76% of travellers pledge to seek out accommodation that has reputable third-party sustainability accreditation

• 73% of travellers would be more likely to choose an accommodation if it has implemented sustainability practices

Travellers are furthermore willing to change their behaviour while staying in a tourist accommodation to reduce their environmental footprint:

• 83% want to reduce their energy consumption (e.g. by turning off air conditioning and lights in their room when they are not in it, for example)

• 79% want to use more environmentally friendly modes of transport (i.e. walking, cycling or public transport over taxis or rental cars)

• 76% are keen to reduce water usage (e.g. by reusing towels or opting out of daily room cleaning)

• 69% are committed to reducing the carbon footprint of their trip or pay to offset this whenever possible

Fortunately, these are not only good intentions. The report also reveals that many travellers already take action to reduce their environmental footprint when travelling. In the past 12 months:

• 45% made a conscious decision to turn off their air conditioning/heater in their accommodation when they weren’t there in the past

• 43% took their own reusable water bottle, rather than buying bottled water while on vacation

• 40% reused the same towel to reduce water usage

• 42% shopped at small, independent stores to support the local economy during their travels.

In addition, travellers place clear demand on the accommodation sector to help them lower their environmental footprint and make responsible choices in the destination:

• 35% believe that having electricity controlled by keycards and/or sensors to reduce energy use for air conditioning or heating should be provided

• 32% consider offering guests information about local ecosystems, heritage, culture, as well as visitor etiquette as a step in the right direction

• 27% believe that accommodations should offer guests the option to opt out of daily room cleaning to reduce water usage

• 27%of travellers would prefer only being offered reusable plates and cutlery for all meals, including room service

However, the survey also reveals that travellers struggle with turning their intentions into actions:

• 72% think travel companies should offer more sustainable choices

• 48% say they find it harder to make sustainable choices while on vacation than in their everyday life

• 41% of travellers indicate that they don’t know how to find sustainable travel options

Eco-certifications like Green Key can help to close this gap and answer the travellers’ demand for sustainable tourism. They provide a framework for making a business more sustainable and help travellers find those businesses and providers that really make a difference.

To read the full report, visit Booking.com

Green Key to contribute to specialisation course on sustainable tourism in Cambodia

In collaboration with École d'Hôtellerie et de Tourisme Paul Dubrule (EHT) and the German agency GIZ Regional Economic Development Program IV (GIZ RED IV), Green Key on behalf of the Foundation for Environmental Education is offering a specialisation course on sustainability in tourism and hospitality to tourism professionals in Cambodia.

Copyright: Visme

Tourism and hospitality, one of the largest industries worldwide, currently faces many challenges, among them the responsibility to become more sustainable. When international tourists start returning to Cambodia, quality standards will be essential, and actors in the tourism and hospitality sector should start developing quality sustainable practices. As the awareness to make sustainable travel choices increases, seeking innovative principles for long-term sustainable solutions for the hospitality and tourism industry is of vital importance.

To stimulate a continuous stream of new ideas and best practices, we invite tourism and hospitality actors to join this short specialization course in collaboration with the École d'Hôtellerie et de Tourisme Paul Dubrule (EHT), the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), and the German agency GIZ Regional Economic Development Program IV (GIZ RED IV).

The course explores the conceptual foundations of sustainable development and discusses existing challenges in the context of Cambodia.

On behalf of FEE and Green Key, Isabel Lissner, International Green Key Coordinator, will facilitate one out of three modules of this course, focusing on the concept of sustainability, sustainable tourism and eco-certification in tourism and hospitality.

“We very much welcomed this opportunity as it is part of Green Key’s strategy to collaborate with educational institutions to integrate sustainable tourism and eco-certification in the curricula of hospitality schools and universities. In this way, we can ensure that the new generation of tourism professionals is well aware of how to build a sustainable industry that benefits the guests, host community and our planet”.

Green Key growth in France despite a challenging period due to Covid-19

The Green Key National Operator for France, Nathalie Bel Baussant, explains in an interview how the programme had 35% increase in new applicants in 2020 despite the Covid-19 crisis, and she foresees that the larger interest in responsible tourism will continue to grow in the coming years.

Nathalie Bel Baussant, Green Key National Operator for France

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, 2020 has been very challenging for the hospitality industry in general. The industry has faced periods of lockdown, no international tourism, etc. However, the situation has not been exactly the same in all countries and within different tourism sub-sectors. What was the situation for Green Key in France in 2020, and how did the French Green Key administration get through the year?

The situation for Green Key in France in 2020 was challenging. We learnt how to work under a lockdown situation. We postponed the application deadline from April to June, and the audits from spring to autumn. We launched several webinars about the Green Key criteria to support accommodations. We postponed invoicing to demonstrate solidarity with establishments. And we maintained an active communication rhythm to encourage accommodations to apply to Green Key but with adapted messages taking into account the Covid-19 situation. 

Les Ecologites de la Rochelle Jardin, one of the new Green Key awarded establishments in France in 2020

In France, the number of Green Key applicants increased exceptionally despite the pandemic. How do you explain that?

The number of Green Key new applicants increased by 35% in 2020 (140 versus 104 in 2019) and we got a 91% renewal rate for already awarded establishments. We see three main explanations:

The first one is external. We benefited from a national context that helped establishments to survive the crisis: strong support from the State, temporary end of the lockdown during the summer (high season), strong national market with 86% of French people who travelled in France (increase of 20% compared to a classic year).

Then the Green Key France team adapted its processes and calendar as explained previously. We offered increased support to new applicants and we intensified follow-up with partners.

Last but not least, we view this increase as the consequence of a long-term development strategy, which mainly relies on raising awareness among the industry regarding the necessity to change practices and to adapt facilities. Indeed we already got a 33% increase in new applicants in 2019.

Here in 2021, the Covid-19 pandemic is still present, but with vaccination schemes being rolled out across Europe, what are your expectations for Green Key and responsible tourism in France in 2021?

The desire for responsible tourism is already significant in France with 714 accommodations and restaurants awarded with Green Key, as well as 525 beaches and marinas awarded with Blue Flag. And it is increasing, which is an excellent news! We have just received 225 new applications for Green Key in France in 2021, a 61% increase compared to 2020.

Travelers’ sense of responsibility and expectations regarding the tourism industry are growing, hospitality management is more and more aware of it as well as the potential savings on water and energy that responsible practices can bring. The French national and regional authorities are also encouraging a more sustainable tourism industry. There is a positive trend and we have to capitalize on it.

Les Ecologites de la Rochelle Jardin, one of the new Green Key awarded establishments in France in 2020

It is our common hope that the pandemic will lose strength after 2021. Do you think in 2022 we will be able to return to the situation prior to the pandemic, or would you expect a change in focus? How do you expect it will impact the Green Key programme in France in the coming years?

I expect a change in focus for most actors of the tourism industry. The crisis has showed that we live in a word of interdependency. That’s also the message carried out by the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals that we strongly support. Once there is awareness, people are more willing to change. National authorities and sustainable actors like Green Key have to demonstrate their ability to accompany this desire for change. At Green Key France, we are intensifying our support with a new extranet, additional best practices sharing and webinars. We will also have to adapt the size and the organisation of our team to face increasing demand, which is a good problem!

Green Key’s activities presented at the FEE General Assembly

The General Assembly of the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) was held on 17 June 2021, and Green Key’s activities for 2018-2021 as well as plans for 2021-2023 were presented.

The FEE General Assembly had the participation of more than 100 representatives from the global network of FEE member organisations. The event was the first ever virtual General Assembly for the organisation.

Among the issues for the FEE General Assembly was the presentation of highlights from the last few years and plans for the future of the organisation.

Green Key was one of five programmes of FEE informing about the activities and plans. The activities in the past three years included the recognition and cooperation with various international partners, such as international hotel chains, online booking and travel agencies, the Association of Hotels, Restaurants and Cafés in Europe, etc. The presentation also included information about the management and support to Green Key establishments during the current Covid-19 crisis. The last part of the presentation was dedicated to the future plans of Green Key with the new criteria taking effect from next year, the increased focus on collection of best practise examples and quantitative data as well as the training through courses and webinars.

The FEE General Assembly 2021 also approved new affiliate and associate members as well as the upgrade of members from associate to full member status. FEE now has 101 member organisations in 79 countries. Eight new honorary members were approved and three new persons were elected to the Board of FEE. There is more information about the FEE General Assembly on the Facebook page of the Foundation for Environmental Education.

Green Key featured in FEE's Annual Report 2020

The Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) has recently published the 2020 Annual Report. The document displays the 2020 status of all FEE programmes, including Green Key.

 The COVID-19 crisis had a significant impact on the hospitality industry in 2020. The sector needed extra support to maintain sustainability standards in 2020, and Green Key was ready to step up and help. The programme developed and implemented a COVID-19 strategy to give establishments more flexibility in order to retain their Green Key awards. The strategy included the option to extend the period of the award, as well as the option for virtual on-site audits. Green Key also launched its #GreenKeyCares social media campaign to showcase inspiring examples of establishments adapting their work to the changing circumstances of COVID-19.

 Despite the challenging period, Green Key was able to expand its reach:

• First Green Key awarded establishments in Brazil, Zambia and the Faroe Islands.

• Green Key entered an agreement Historic Hotels of Europe, an exclusive collection of inde­pendent hotels, castles and country houses in more than 20 countries across Europe.

• Green Key also formed a new partnership with Pegasus, a leading global provider of hotel reservations and e-commerce solutions, to provide hotels with access to support, tools and resources for sustainability.

• Green Key was also very pleased to welcome a new cor­porate partner in Purezza Premium Water, which provides high-quality sustainable water dispensing solutions to more than 8,000 restaurants, cafés and hotels.

• Green Key Key was proud to be recognised by the Association of Hotels, Restaurants and Cafés (HORTEC) as a preferred eco-label for sustainability in the hospitality sector.

• Green Key also announced a new agreement with Travel Without Plastic to promote and facilitate plastic reduction in the tourism industry, and Green Key joined in pushing for action on the climate crisis through the ‘Tourism Declares a Climate Emergency’ initiative.

Click on the picture to get access to the full FEE Annual Report 2020

New hope for Ecotourism

Green Key’s web partner, EcoHotels.com, sees a significant increase in the search for environmentally friendly accommodation.

Green Key awarded “Manon Les Suites” in Copenhagen, Denmark

EcoHotels.com was created in April 2020 as a booking site focused on true sustainability, fair principles, and low commissions. This team of digital marketers, developers, and sustainable focused strategist have in the last year build a platform for solely certified sustainable hotels.

Patricia Plesner Arnsted, CEO of EcoHotels.com says: “I have seen how first-hand the Covid-19 pandemic that has since elicited in one of the worst financial crises the tourism industry, hotels closed down and an extreme unemployment. We looked at the numbers and have been able to offer all certified hotels on our site an 8% commission fee, eliciting in us – with our motto: One Booking-One Tree planting 25.000 trees.”

In the last few months an extreme amount of page views on EcoHotels.com amounting to over 500.000 views. Besides all the good and hopeful data, they have seen how bookings start to appear again after a long year in hibernation. Their digital marketing strategy has been the foundation for their steady growth. There is an awakening of ecotourism and they continue to see a demand from future eco-travelers asking for more hotels, missing destination, or wondering what makes a hotel sustainable. Luckily, there are certifications programmes, like Green Key, to refer to, and a bunch of sign-ups.

Continuously growing eco-community, and the longing for sustainable traveling gives EcoHotels.com great hope that the big wave of Ecotourism will boom sooner than later