The WTTC Hotel Sustainability Basics programme has now been undertaken by hotels groups from 80 countries. Photo Credit: World Travel & Tourism Council
Over 3,000 properties across 80 countries have now been verified
under the World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) Hotel
Sustainability Basics programme.
Designed to help hoteliers on their first steps to improve their
sustainability ratings and raise the bar of sustainability across the
global hospitality industry, this independent global sustainability
verification programme is overseen by internationally recognised
verifiers Green Key and SGS.
The programme empowers hotels of all sizes to follow a 12-step
programme aimed at reducing carbon emissions, promoting nature
conservation, and ensuring local communities benefit from a hotel's
operations.
Basics has achieved full alignment with Green Key, a leading
international eco-label for tourism facilities, meaning all Green
Key-certified hotels are now in full compliance with Basics and can
obtain Basics verification with no extra effort.
“Reaching 3,400 verified properties is not just a milestone,” said
Julia Simpson, WTTC president & CEO. “It’s a clear indication that
the industry is ready to embrace sustainability on a global scale. This
initiative is about uniting hotels, industry partners, and
sustainability standards to create a future that is resilient,
responsible, and respectful of our planet.”
Major hotel brands which have adopted ‘Basics’ include Jin Jiang, one
of the world’s biggest hotel groups with more than 10,000 hotels,
European hotel giant Louvre Hotels Group, Choice Hotels, and Radisson
Hotel Group.
Hotel Sustainability Basics has also gained endorsements from
destinations worldwide, including the Caribbean, Mauritius, Colombia,
UAE, Azerbaijan, Mexico, and Ecuador.