THE WORLD TRAVEL & Tourism Council's Hotel Sustainability Basics, a global initiative assisting hoteliers in improving their sustainability ratings, recently surpassed 1,700 verified hotels across 70 countries worldwide. Hotel groups from destinations such as France, China, Mexico, India, Germany, South Africa, Philippines and Norway joined the initiative, WTTC said in a statement.
During its first year, Hotel Sustainability Basics gained endorsements from destinations worldwide, including the Caribbean, Mauritius, Colombia, UAE, Azerbaijan, Mexico, and Ecuador, the statement said. Hotel brands, including Jin Jiang, Louvre Hotel Group, Choice Hotels and Radisson Hotel Group, have adopted Basics. Other major brands joining the initiative include Intrepid, British Airways Holidays, HBX Group, WebBeds and Abercrombie & Kent.
“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,” said Julia Simpson, WTTC’s president and CEO. “It is a win win. We launched the scheme only a year ago and the uptake has been incredible. 70 countries have signed up with over 1700 properties verified with a long waiting list. It will bring lasting change.”
The global sustainability verification program, overseen by recognized verifiers Green Key and SGS, empowers hotels to follow a 12-step program aimed at reducing carbon emissions, promoting nature conservation, and ensuring local communities benefit from the hotel's operations, WTTC said. WTTC is dedicated to leading sustainable travel and tourism, aligning with industry demands, and advancing globally aligned sustainability indicators in collaboration with the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance.
In June, WTTC's 2023 Economic Impact Research projected the hospitality sector to contribute Rs 16.5 trillion to the Indian economy in 2023, showing a slight 3.5 percent decline from 2019.
