Friday, August 30, 2024 Travalyst, the not-for-profit coalition founded by Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has unveiled a new initiative aimed at standardizing sustainable accommodation certification across the travel industry. The coalition, which includes major travel tech providers and global platforms such as Booking.com, Expedia Group, Google, and Tripadvisor, has introduced a list of 49 sustainable accommodation certification schemes that meet a rigorous set of criteria developed by the organization and its independent advisory group.
Since its inception in 2019, Travalyst has been committed to promoting sustainability within the travel sector. The coalition’s latest initiative is designed to improve the alignment and credibility of sustainability certifications for hotels and other accommodations. The goal is to provide travelers with more reliable and standardized information regarding the sustainability practices of the properties they choose.
The newly introduced criteria for certification include three key components: Third-Party Audit: Each certification must undergo a third-party audit, which includes an on-site or remote online assessment of the sustainable practices reported by the property. Publicly Available Standards: The standards upon which the certification is based must be publicly accessible, ensuring transparency for consumers and industry stakeholders. Alignment with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: The certification must evaluate the.