Did you know there is a certification behind the value of carbon offsetting your vacation? Since 1997, Green-e has set the standard for renewable energy in the United States and Canada as well as the standard for certification (and decertification if not continually compliant) of carbon offset programs, clean energy programs, and individual consumer brands that want to attract...Read More
As everyone knows, the green travel / eco travel trend is gaining full momentum, particularly among today’s socially conscious consumers. However, just as green travel is becoming mainstream, so has the trend for greenwashing or fake claims of sustainability and eco-friendly practices, making it challenging for responsible tourism business owners to make smart, informed decisions....Read More
The origins of EarthCheck date back to 1997 when the Australian government created the Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre (STCRC) in order to produce science based research about sustainability in the travel industry. In the ensuing decade, the STCRC focused on helping tourism businesses and organizations benchmark and enhance their triple bottom line first for...Read More
Of all the eco-certifications available to guiding companies and accommodations worldwide, Biosphere is the only one to have been Approved (versus Recognized) by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council as having an independently verified process that is reliable, transparent and aligned with the universally accepted criteria for sustainable tourism. What does this mean to consumers who...Read More
Formulated by social responsibility experts in the tourism industry, universities, political realm, environmental policy and development organizations, TourCert awards certifications to organizations that specify how their business activities impact social and ecological programs. TourCert is a non-profit organization that partners with four other non-profits based in Germany. These partners are focused on the issues surrounding...Read More
As part of our continuing series of Ecotourism Industry Profiles where we discuss the issues surrounding the triple bottom line and, more recently, the actual return on investment (ROI) that businesses realize as a result of implementing sustainable operations, we profile Steve Macfarlane, owner of the Glenuig Inn. The Inn, which is located on the...Read More
How do you know when eco-certified travel is going mainstream? It is when customers and hotel chains both extol the virtues of certification and eco-labels. Earlier this year, a Canadian Travel Intentions Survey found that 25% of leisure travelers and 31% of business travelers said that a hotel with an environmental certification program was important...Read More
Croatia has been receiving a lot of press lately as the “new” and relatively untouched area of Europe for wanderlusts to discover. The country offers pristine beaches, hiking trails and vineyards for adventures and culinary enthusiasts alike. In addition, since 1993, Croatia has also instituted the Environmental Label, so that consumers could understand the “environmental...Read More
Rolling hills, castles, churches, potatoes, shamrocks and leprechauns – that’s what Ireland means to me! Since 2004, Ireland has also stood for a practical ecotourism standard. Developed by the organization, Ecotourism Ireland, and in association with Failte Ireland, Northern Ireland Tourist Board, the (Ireland) Environmental Protection Agency, the National Standards Authority of Ireland and the...Read More
One of our partners, EcoCamp Patagonia, has the remarkable distinction of opening the world’s first Geodesic ecotourism accommodation. Since EcoCamp’s opening in 2000, the environmentally-conscious design concept has sprung up throughout Chile, Argentina and Switzerland. I had the pleasure of posing some questions to Yerko Ivelic, co-founder of EcoCamp Patagonia about the catalyst for developing...Read More
