Enjoy the influence of some of the biggest names in tourism.
Founded by Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, in 2019, Travalyst is a not-for-profit global coalition of some of the biggest names in travel and technology. These include Amadeus, Google, Mastercard, VISA, Tripadvisor, Trip.com. Booking.com, Sabre, Skyscanner and Expedia, among others. Together, they amount to a market capitalisation of nearly $2 trillion and they are working in partnership to provide travellers with clear, consistent and credible sustainability information, empowering them to make more informed choices.
By asking certification bodies to meet a set of criteria, Travalyst aims to enable industry alignment behind accommodation sustainability certifications. These criteria are designed to establish an initial threshold that supports the certification industry to meet evolving regulatory requirements. They represent the first step in a broader, ongoing effort to improve the sustainability governance of certifications for the accommodation sector.
Earning our place on Travalyst’s list
The certification bodies around the world focusing on sustainability standards in tourist accommodation operate to varying standards of quality. This has led to inconsistency and, as Sally Davey, CEO of Travalyst, says “We hear time and time again that this can be overwhelming and confusing, not only for people wanting to book a more sustainable stay, but also for accommodation providers and booking platforms. We’re working to make things simpler and easier to navigate.” Sally adds: “This list is the first milestone in a long-term commitment to enhancing the integrity of sustainability information for consumers and the industry at large, and we will continue to work with stakeholders to closely monitor the fast-evolving legislative landscape and adapt our approach to certifications accordingly.”
Putting your achievements on the global map
If you have already achieved Green Tourism Awards, it makes it even more important to deploy marketing strategies that leverage the full value of your award. We would urge you to deploy the high impact initiatives and ideas contained in the relevant Marketing Playbook on our members-only Knowledge Hub. We will be circulating advice and guidance to Green Tourism award holders about how to feature their certification on Travalyst’s partner platforms in due course. If you are still working towards, or still contemplating, Green Tourism certification, it is a great incentive to step up your sustainability efforts and complete your journey to an award.
