Green Tourism Business Scheme Gold Award
A new website which allows people to choose a green getaway that won’t cost the earth has been launched at The Best of Britain and Ireland Travel Trade Forum at London's Olympia exhibition centre.
The Green Tourism booking website is the latest initiative from the Green Tourism Business Scheme and provides details of environmentally friendly accommodation providers across the UK from city-centre five-star hotels to rural self-catering cottages
The site is the first of its kind to provide consumers with direct access to a database of GTBS members who have all been individually assessed and independently checked.
“At the click of a mouse people can find out exactly which businesses are committed to protecting the environment and investing in a sustainable future for the travel industry,” said Andrea Nicholas, Director of the Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS), the largest green accreditation scheme of its kind in the world with more than 2,000 members.
“GTBS members are independently assessed and encouraged to continually improve their environmental performance. Consumers can be confident that accommodation providers which display GTBS membership awards all operate to the highest standards.”
Applicants to join the GTBS are assessed on 150 individual environmentally friendly measures. Points are awarded for installing efficient lighting and heating, nature conservation, use of renewable energy, buying local produce, community involvement and other environmentally friendly practices.
Those businesses which successfully meet the required standards of the nationwide scheme go on to receive a Bronze, Silver or Gold award based on their level of achievement.
The launch of the Green Tourism booking website comes in the wake of an upturn in 'staycations' as a result of an increasing number of families opting to holiday at home in the UK.
“Increasingly people are finding that by holidaying at home they can find luxury accommodation, good quality fresh produce and an enjoy an unforgettable experience all on their own doortstep”.
ends
More information about the new website and the GTBS scheme can found at www.green-tourism.co.uk or www.greentourism.ie.
