MURRIETA, CALIF.—Green Globe International, Inc., the worldwide owner of the Green Globe brand, announced an exclusive five-year licensing agreement with UAE-based Farnek Avireal to utilize the Green Globe brand, an internationally recognized certification label in the tourism and hospitality industry, covering tourism properties within 20 different countries throughout the Middle East.
More than 800 businesses in 50 countries have so far received the paperless Web-based Green Globe Certification (GGC), and it is the only one globally in compliance with ISO17021. The GGC is a leading worldwide sustainability certification for tourism businesses and the Green Globe Index tool allows clients to calculate their CO2 emissions, the financial cost of that and enables them to track their performance of energy and water consumption as well as non-recyclable waste production.
“The need for credible, independent certification is particularly acute in the hotel industry, where more than two-thirds of travelers have serious doubts about green initiatives posted on company websites,” said Marcus Oberlin, general manager of Farnek Avireal Middle East.
Evidence of Consumer Support
Consumer interest in sustainability issues is gathering momentum however and nearly half of all travelers polled by Travel Weekly said they would be prepared to pay up to 10 percent more to stay in a green-certified hotel.
With sustainability in mind, the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) is preparing to implement its compulsory carbon reduction initiative this year, which aims to see Dubai hotels reduce their carbon footprint by 20 percent by the end of 2011. Consultancy from Farnek Avireal and certification from Green Globe will help hotels to monitor and reduce their carbon emissions.
“We are pleased to have partnered with Avireal Middle East to deliver Green Globe branded services in the Middle East region,” said Bradley Cox, chief operating officer of Green Globe International. “As an internationally recognized leader in facilities management, Avireal is an ideal partner for the Green Globe brand—the most globally recognized brand for sustainability. We look forward to a mutually beneficial partnership, which will allow additional hotels and other tourism-related businesses in the region to participate in Green Globe programs and by doing so, demonstrate their commitment to sustainable business practices.”
Go to Green Globe and Farnek Avireal.
