In a joint effort to promote sustainability in the Travel & Tourism sector, the World Travel & Tourism Council and Biosphere have inked a partnership to promote sustainability criteria in the hotel industry under the Hotel Sustainability Basics initiative. A significant milestone for global hotel sustainability, the collaboration will initially benefit 2,500 hotels.
In the current landscape of globalization and information saturation, where sustainability holds paramount importance, the proliferation of new standards and eco-labels poses a significant challenge for the sector, says the WTTC, adding that identifying clear and consistent sustainability criteria has become increasingly difficult.
To that end, Biosphere and WTTC have joined forces and solidified their commitment to fostering a more sustainable hotel industry to establish fundamental steps for global sustainability practices. As partners of the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance (SHA), both organizations are optimistic that standardizing their sustainability concepts will catalyze widespread adoption by hotels worldwide.
Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “Hotel Basics is a crucial and inclusive industry initiative, ensuring hotels continue to adapt and evolve to meet the needs of both travellers and the planet. The collaboration between Biosphere and WTTC is a fundamental step towards international standardization in sustainability, creating a clear and homogeneous pathway for the industry.”
The agreement will lay the groundwork for a network of international criteria homogenization, and aims to facilitate the industry’s transition from basic criteria to more advanced global standards, aligning with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 goals of the United Nations.
Dr. Tomás de Azcárate Bang, President of the Responsible Tourism Institute, said: “Sustainability must be viable, understandable and achievable. This requires consensus and harmonization of concepts, steps, and measures, which this agreement seeks to accomplish. The harmonization of languages and processes will establish a more stable and defined international framework for all stakeholders aligning with sustainability models.”
This collaboration will result in the integration of the WTTC’s Hotel Sustainability Basics verification and the Biosphere methodology, creating the most comprehensive international framework for the sector, with a unified vision connected to the Sustainable Development Goals.
Hotel Sustainability Basics emerged as a result of a clear demand from a significant group of global hotel brands to develop fundamental sustainability criteria that all accommodation providers must meet as a minimum, designed for the industry, by the industry.
Hotels, guest houses, and tourist residences will be able to adopt the 12 criteria of the initiative, focusing primarily on the following main lines of action:
- Measuring and reducing energy and water consumption, as well as reducing waste and carbon emissions
2. Fundamental actions to protect the environment.
3. Fundamental actions towards a positive contribution to the communities in which they are located.
“This partnership,” said Bang, “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.”