Why should we book eco-certified hotels?

Eco-certified hotels

EcoHotels.com is a platform where you can find all kinds of hotels, including both eco-certified and non-certified hotels. However, we highlight the more responsible hotel choices on our site, hopefully influencing hotels and travelers to make more responsible choices.

Many of the more responsible hotel choices include eco-certified hotels.

But what does eco-certification cover, and what does it mean in practice? There are many certifications out there, and they can be challenging to understand. People sometimes label the certification system as a jungle!

One way to reward businesses and hotels dedicated to responsible operations and to minimize their environmental impact is by giving them credible, independent third-party recognition. An eco-certification is a tool for doing so. Certification is a voluntary, third-party assessment. It is a great way to motivate businesses to improve their ESG performance (environmental, social, and governance). Hence pushing development toward a more responsible hotel industry.

What is an eco-certification?

In the following, we present some of the leading eco-certifications by which several excellent hotels on our site are certified.

This is to provide tangible examples of what these certifications commonly measure so that you, as a traveler, can know examples of what to look for if you want to prioritize more responsible hotel choices.

Note that there are many more great and trustworthy certifications out there. The following examples should only be seen as partial in terms of the individual certification’s measuring points.

Green Globe

Green Globe is a world-leading certification scheme for responsible hotel operations and management of travel & tourism.  The following provides examples of what travelers can expect most accommodations awarded with the Green Globe certificate to implement:  

Green Globe provides certification standards for several industry categories, including hotels and resorts. The Green Globe Standard includes 44 criteria in four groups and is supported by over 385 compliance indicators. The measuring indicators vary depending on the geographical area as well as local factors but include four areas relating to the environment, management processes, social-economic, and cultural heritage.

EarthCheck

EarthCheck is yet another world-leading environmental certification and benchmarking program for the travel and tourism industry. The EarthCheck Company Standard provides organizations with a framework for environmental and social responsibility. This can be applied to all travel and tourism-related organizations. Hotels must undertake a review to identify all internal and external issues relevant to their operations. Moreover, they have to establish the context to comply with the standards.

Green Key

Green Key is another certification standard within the hospitality industry. The certificate operates with rigorous documentation and frequent audits. Green Key conducts inspections in year two after the initial inspection and thereafter every third year. Green Key certificate measures criteria relating to 13 different areas. 

The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)

At EcoHotels.com, we primarily work with and include hotels with certifications recognized by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), such as the above-mentioned certifications. The Global Sustainable Tourism Council, GSTC, manages global standards for travel and tourism and acts as the international accreditation body for sustainable tourism certification. The GSTC provides a specific set of standards concerning environmental, Social, Cultural, and Management principles. If the GSTC recognizes that a business operates with standards equivalent to these, businesses can receive GSTC Recognition.

Thank you for reading! 

Remember, being a responsible traveler involves choosing responsible operators, supporting local communities, and minimizing your environmental impact wherever you travel. Always research and prioritize destinations, operators, and hotels that prioritize conservation. 

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