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Behind the environmental certification: How do European hotels attract tourists with green labels?
With the increasing global awareness of environmental protection, eco-hotels have gradually become an important trend in the tourism industry. These hotels have not only made significant environmental improvements in their facilities, but have also been certified by independent organizations, attracting a growing number of environmentally friendly travelers. According to a new report, more and more tourists are choosing to stay in hotels because of their green labels, which has also prompted many hoteliers in Europe to turn to environmentally friendly business models.
Eco-hotels are accommodation options that fully integrate into the natural environment without harming it and contribute to the sustainable development of the local community.
Environmental improvements at these hotels include using non-toxic cleaning products, renewable energy, organic soaps, energy-efficient lighting, and serving local organic foods to guests. All of these measures are designed to reduce the impact on the natural environment and enhance the guest experience.
Green Label Standards
European hotels’ green labels usually need to meet the following standards:
- Depends on the natural environment
- Maintain ecological sustainability
- Demonstrate contribution to conservation
- Provide environmental training programs
- Consider cultural factors
- Provide financial returns to the community
Green hotels follow strict environmental guidelines to ensure that guests stay in a safe, non-toxic, energy-efficient environment.
Many eco-hotels also provide guests with recyclables boxes, encouraging them to sort and recycle to reduce unnecessary waste. Additionally, they often offer the option of reusing towels and sheets in guest rooms and hotel lobbies to further reduce water consumption. These measures can not only attract environmentally conscious travelers, but also improve the hotel's evaluation and competitiveness.
European Ecolabel
The EU Ecolabel is an official European environmental label established in 1992 to indicate the environmental quality of services and products. Since 2003, any accommodation operator in the European Union can apply for this label to obtain environmental certification. These hotels are subject to strict requirements related to environmental performance and health standards.
All participants need to score at least 20 points across a number of required requirements, including using renewable energy and reducing energy and water consumption.
In fact, the first hotel to receive the EU Ecolabel was the Sunwing Resort Kallithea on the Greek island of Rhodes, and since then, more and more hotels have received this label, leading the industry in a more sustainable direction.
Eco-labelling around the world
In addition to Europe, South America has also begun to pay attention to the environmental friendliness of hotels. For example, Argentina's Tourism Hotel Association awards the "Green Hotel" award every year to recognize outstanding eco-hotels. In addition, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council launched the Global Sustainable Tourism Standard at the World Conservation Union Congress in 2008. This standard provides guidance for the sustainable development of the hotel and tourism industry and emphasizes the importance of certification.
These global standards help hotels ensure their sustainability claims are externally certified, reinforcing traveller confidence.
Some hotels are also actively involved in environmental protection work, such as Misool Eco Resort, which originated from the funding source of environmental protection work and has established a 300,000-acre marine reserve. There is a professional team to patrol and maintain the area, showing how the hotel can enhance its own value by protecting the environment.
Conclusion
With more and more attention paid to environmental protection and sustainable development in various places, more and more hotels are promoting environmental labels on a global scale. This is not only responsible for the environment, but also a response to customer needs. In the future, what important steps will the hotel industry take on the road to environmental protection that are worth our anticipation and consideration?
