PERTH, SCOTLAND—Formerly known as the Green Tourism Business Scheme, the nonprofit Green Tourism will mark 20 years next year as one of the planet’s leading tourism accreditation organizations. Based in Perth, Scotland, Green Tourism now has approximately 2,300 accredited tourism-related businesses in its fold and is still led by its two founders—Jon Proctor, Chief Executive, and Andrea Nicholas, Managing Director. Green Tourism, primarily a U.K.-oriented organization, has been expanding in recent years and now has accredited properties in Canada and Italy. In an interview with Green Lodging News, Proctor said Green Tourism has a pilot project under way in Zimbabwe—a popular destination for U.K. tourists. “We are interested in other destinations,” he says.
Unique to Green Tourism is its acceptance of all kinds of tourism-related businesses into its program. Accommodation providers, visitor attractions, activity providers, food and retail and even bus tour operators are welcome to participate. Similar to other certification type programs, participants are required to complete an application. It is split into 10 sections and covers areas such as energy, waste, water, procurement, marketing, corporate social responsibility, travel, nature, culture, management and innovation. Each section has from five to 10 questions. Every question is scored from zero to five points. “It is not a check-box program,” Proctor emphasized.
Proctor and Nicholas designed the accreditation program to have three achievement levels—bronze, silver and gold. “The three-level program encourages participants to pursue continuous improvement,” Proctor says. “Continuous improvement is a requirement to move from bronze to silver and gold.”
Mandatory Site Visit
All businesses are visited by an advisor. The purpose of the visit is not only to confirm what was included in the application but to also provide operational tips—ways for a business to reduce its environmental footprint and costs. “We pride ourselves on being a development program as much as a certification,” Proctor says. “We want to ensure businesses have a journey to be sustainable.” All assessors work full time and they conduct about 200 audits a year.
Participating businesses benefit with a certificate, plaque featuring the bronze, silver or gold designation, e-newsletters, discounts from suppliers, and the promotion of the business on the Green Tourism website and via social media. Green Tourism currently has about 6,700 Twitter followers and almost 4,500 Facebook followers.
Green Tourism applicants do pay a fee based on business size and type and must re-apply every two years.
Glenn Hasek can be reached at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
