Intrepid Travel has partnered with the World Travel & Tourism Council’s Hotel Sustainability Basics Programme to become the first global travel company to extend the sustainability verification scheme to its suppliers.
The Hotel Sustainability Basics Programme was developed through WTTC and is overseen by the Sustainability Hospitality Alliance.
It is designed to help hoteliers begin their journey toward more sustainable operations, “regardless of their size or resources”.
Hotels undergo a three-year evaluation process, measuring improvements on 12 criteria in the areas of people, planet and efficiency.
After three years of improvement, hotels can move on to the Global Sustainability Tourism Council (GSTC) certification, the global standard for sustainability in tourism, or follow other improvement journeys, such as the Sustainability Hospitality Alliance’s Pathway to Net Positive Hospitality.
The improvements will help hotels to appeal to “increasingly climate-conscious travellers and industry partners”, said Intrepid.
The adventure operator also said these changes benefit the performance of its overall supply chain.
Intrepid will initially launch a trial with a selection of accommodation suppliers in Nepal and Bhutan in January 2024, with plans to expand the scheme to other hotels and lodges across its global supply chain.
Sara King, general manager of purpose for Intrepid Travel, said: “Our suppliers have told us that they want to improve their practices, but as small and medium-sized businesses, they often don’t know where to start, or don’t have the resources.
“By offering our hotel suppliers access to this internationally recognised programme, we can make focused improvements that will support them, and the overall impact of our business.”
Chris Imbsen, WTTC director of sustainability, added: “Our research shows that most business owners are aware of their responsibility to the environment but need a step-by-step guide that is scientifically verifiable.
“We are incredibly proud that Intrepid has joined the Hotel Sustainability Basics initiative.”
Hotel Moonlight (pictured) is one of Intrepid’s Nepal accommodation suppliers that will be involved in the scheme.
A spokesperson said: “The initiatives taken by Intrepid for the betterment of environment and the society encourage us towards sustainability.
“We aspire to switch into energy-efficient/LED lighting, intelligent water management solutions to limit water waste and plan to install solar panels to reduce carbon emissions.”
Picture credit: Hotel Moonlight