The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and Biosphere, a sustainability management and certification system, which is part of the Responsible Tourism Institute (RTI), have teamed up to advance the industry's sustainability standards.
The initiative aims to facilitate the transition from basic
criteria to more advanced global standards, aligning with the 17 Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs)
and 169 goals of the United Nations.
The collaboration between the WTTC and Biosphere will result in the
integration of Hotel Sustainability Basics verification and Biosphere's
methodology.
This will create a comprehensive international framework
for the sector, with a unified vision connected to the UN’s SDGs.
WTTC’s Hotel Sustainability Basics was created as a result of a demand from global hotel brands to develop fundamental sustainability criteria that all accommodation providers must meet as a minimum.
At the moment the proliferation of new standards and eco-labels across the industry poses a significant challenge for the sector, and identifying clear and consistent sustainability criteria has become increasingly difficult.
Dr.
Tomás de Azcárate Bang, president of the Responsible Tourism Institute,
said: "Sustainability must be viable, understandable and achievable.
This requires consensus and harmonisation of concepts, steps, and
measures, which this agreement seeks to accomplish."
Julia Simpson, WTTC president & CEO, said: “The collaboration between Biosphere and WTTC is a fundamental step towards international standardisation in sustainability, creating a clear and homogeneous pathway for the industry."
According to the organisations, which are both partners of the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, more than 2,500 hotels will benefit from the collaboration.