Green certifying lodging establishments is of course very common these days with the burden on property ownership/management to carry out the initiatives required for certification. But what if the tables were turned and it was the tourists who were asked to be certified before visiting a destination?
That is what Discover Puerto Rico is trying to do with The Green Path, an innovative new microsite empowering visitors to become certified “Responsible Travelers” through engaging educational content and immersive storytelling rooted in sustainability. The Green Path was just launched on April 22—Earth Day.
“The Green Path was first ideated in August 2024, when we set out to amplify the insights from Skift Research’s sustainability audit,” says Dalissa Zeda, Digital Marketing Director at Discover Puerto Rico. “What began as a simple content plan quickly evolved into a more ambitious initiative: the development of a dedicated microsite featuring long-form videos, written articles, curated business listings, and more. Content production—including video shoots and editorial writing—ran from December through March. The website development began in March, following the completion of the user journey mapping and design mockups.”
The Green Path interactive platform is a pivotal part of Discover Puerto Rico’s broader commitment to promoting responsible tourism and preserving Puerto Rico’s unique natural, cultural, and historical assets for generations to come.
Built on insights from the Sustainable Tourism Best Practices and Opportunities for Puerto Rico assessment by Skift Advisory and developed in collaboration with local creators, cultural leaders, and environmental stewards, The Green Path invites travelers to embark on a personalized digital journey aligned with their travel values. Along the way, they will learn best practices for eco-conscious exploration across the Island.
Four Sustainability Pillars
At the heart of this initiative is a certification program that guides users through four sustainability pillars—each tailored to different aspects of conscious travel:
- The Foodprint—Exploring local farms, markets, and eco-gastronomic practices.
- Legacy Journey—Preserving Puerto Rico’s heritage through architecture, culture, and stories.
- Nature Paths—Highlighting the Island’s biodiversity and outdoor eco-adventures.
- Conscious Stays—Showcasing responsible accommodations and low-impact lodging options.
Each pillar’s landing page features a rich collection of immersive content designed to inspire and inform travelers. Highlights include a first-person chronicle offering a personal lens into on-Island experiences; feature articles covering sustainable travel, local dining, and cultural insights; and an interactive map with vivid descriptions to help navigate Puerto Rico. Visitors will also find curated itineraries tailored to each pillar plus interviews with community advocates brought to life through engaging short-form videos.
The videos are a pleasure to watch and include best practices that you also can implement at your property. For example, in Conscious Stays, one video focuses on the Four Casitas bed and breakfast and farm and its many green initiatives including a 48-panel solar system and rainwater harvesting system.
Certification Unlocks Access to Exclusive Deals
As users progress through the microsite, they earn points and insights along the way. Upon reaching an 80 percent completion score, they receive a downloadable and shareable badge recognizing them as certified “Responsible Travelers to Visit Puerto Rico.” As an added incentive to participate in The Green Path, the certification also unlocks access to exclusive deals and discounts from local partners offering experiences and accommodations aligned with sustainable tourism practices.
“Upon completion of current iteration of The Green Path program, participants will receive exclusive deals/discounts to some of the experiences and lodging locations featured throughout the site’s content, including 25% off a Harvest + Cook adventure at Finca La Zafra, the main subject of ‘The Foodprint’ pillar’s video; and a stay three nights, get one free deal at the 4 Casitas, which was the primary focus of the ‘Conscious Stays’ pillar video,” Zeda says.
“We designed The Green Path as a modern approach to education and engagement,” Zeda adds. “By making sustainability personal and actionable, we’re helping visitors align their values with their vacation plans, fostering more meaningful travel experiences while supporting the long-term well-being of our Island.”
The launch of The Green Path marks the beginning of a phased content rollout, with new experiences and articles to be added regularly across each sustainability pillar. As part of the efforts to promote responsible travel, a real-time availability calendar is now live on the website, helping visitors plan trips by showing hotel and rental availability across the Island. Designed to reduce overcrowding, encourage exploration beyond the most visited regions, and inspire longer stays, the tool helps drive consistent occupancy and ensures the benefits of tourism are shared more evenly across Puerto Rico.
“The Green Path site is prominently placed on Discover Puerto Rico’s homepage, where the microsite link is one of the first things visitors see,” Zeda says. “It’s also featured across our social media channels, and we anticipate strong word-of-mouth momentum as more participants complete the program and encourage others to participate.”
In addition to visitor-facing content, The Green Path will include tailored resources for the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) industry segment and local tourism stakeholders, further supporting a unified path toward a more conscious Puerto Rico.
“We anticipate two types of travelers to participate in The Green Path program,” Zeda says. “The first includes those already passionate about sustainability and actively seeking ways to reduce their environmental impact while traveling. The second group consists of potential visitors who may not initially be focused on sustainability but discover The Green Path while researching their trip on Discover Puerto Rico’s website. We hope working through the certification program inspires both types of people to consider how to travel responsibly, in Puerto Rico and beyond.”
To learn more, visit thegreenpath.discoverpuertorico.com.
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