Major travel and technology firms unite to establish sustainability criteria for hotel certification.
- The Travalyst coalition’s criteria aim to standardise sustainability certification displays on booking platforms.
- Coalition includes global players like Booking.com, Google, and Tripadvisor.
- The criteria emphasise third-party audits and transparency based on publicly available standards.
- Focus on evaluating social, economic, and environmental impacts in line with UN goals.
The Travalyst coalition, comprising significant names in the travel and technology sectors, has agreed upon a standard set of criteria to govern sustainability certification within the hotel industry. By aligning these standards, they aim to create a consistent display of sustainability credentials across booking platforms, thus enhancing consumer trust and understanding of sustainable travel choices.
This coalition includes giants such as Amadeus, Booking.com, the Expedia Group, Google, Skyscanner, Travelport, Trip.com, Tripadvisor, and Visa, who collectively influence the global travel and tourism landscape. Their agreement on these criteria marks a pivotal step towards integrating sustainability as a fundamental element of the travel experience.
The criteria emphasised by Travalyst are threefold: the certification process must include a third-party audit that can be conducted either on-site or online; the standard upon which this certification is based should be publicly accessible; and the certification needs to focus on the evaluation of social, economic, and environmental impacts, which align with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
Polly Lomas, Travalyst’s head of strategy and impact, underscored the need to bring sustainability information to the mainstream, stating that providing clear, consistent, and credible information is essential to help people make more environmentally conscious travel decisions. She highlighted the importance of a master list of certification bodies that meet these criteria, asserting that this would bolster the credibility of sustainability data in the accommodation sector.
Travalyst, established in 2019 by Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, as a not-for-profit initiative, is backed by an independent advisory group. This group is led by Diana Walker and includes esteemed experts such as Dr Susanne Becken and Professor Paul Peeters, who bring their extensive knowledge of sustainable tourism and transport to the table. The advisory group plays a critical role in validating and supporting the coalition’s efforts towards sustainable tourism.
Travalyst’s unified approach to hotel sustainability certification aims to embed environmental consciousness in mainstream travel decision-making.
