More than 1,700 hotels across 70 countries have signed up in a year to a scheme to improve their sustainability efforts.
The World Travel & Tourism Council’s ‘Hotel Sustainability Basics’ initiative aims to help hoteliers on their first steps while giving consumers an at-glance verification.
The independent global sustainability verification programme enables hotels to follow a 12-step programme aimed at reducing carbon emissions, promoting nature conservation, and ensuring local communities benefit from operations.
Hotel groups from countries including France, China, Mexico, India, Germany, South Africa, Philippines and Norway have signed up, including Jin Jiang, Louvre Hotel Group, Choice Hotels and Radisson Hotel Group.
Travel brands joining the initiative include Intrepid and Abercrombie & Kent.
Hotel Sustainability Basics also gained endorsements from destinations, including the Caribbean, Mauritius, Colombia, UAE, Azerbaijan, Mexico and Ecuador.
WTTC president and chief executive Julia Simpson said: “Our goal is to have a globally recognised trademark that shows customers at a glance that a hotel is supporting the planet by saving energy, cutting plastics, protecting nature, and supporting their local community.
“We launched the scheme only a year ago and the uptake has been incredible. Seventy countries have signed up with over 1,700 properties verified with a long waiting list. It will bring lasting change.”