More than 2,500 hotels are expected to benefit from a new joint initiative to promote sustainability.
The World Travel & Tourism Council and sustainability management and certification system Biosphere have agreed to promote sustainability criteria in the hotel industry.
As partners of the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance (SHA), both organisations voiced optimism that standardising their sustainability concepts will lead to widespread adoption by hotels worldwide.
The initiative aims to enable a transition from basic criteria to more advanced global standards, aligning with the 17 sustainable development goals and 169 goals of the United Nations.
The collaboration will result in the integration of the WTTC’s hotel sustainability basics verification and Biosphere methodology.
The aim is to create “the most comprehensive international framework” for the sector, with a unified vision connected to sustainable development goals.
WTTC president and chief executive Julia Simpson said: “The collaboration between Biosphere and WTTC is a fundamental step towards international standardisation in sustainability, creating a clear and homogeneous pathway for the industry.”
The recent signed agreement between WTTC and Biosphere will lay the groundwork for a network of international criteria homogenisation.
Responsible Tourism Institute president Tomás de Azcarate Bang added: “Sustainability must be viable, understandable and achievable. This requires consensus and harmonisation of concepts, steps, and measures, which this agreement seeks to accomplish.
“The harmonisation of languages and processes will establish a more stable and defined international framework for all stakeholders aligning with sustainability models.
“This partnership signifies a milestone for the industry. By synching our approaches, we are paving the way for a rock-solid international playbook, inviting all players worldwide to align with sustainability models”.