Access Bookings updates eco-grading policy for hotels

Travel management company Access Bookings has upgraded its assessment process of hotels’ environmental credentials.

The TMC, which serves companies operating in the media and entertainment sector, first launched a hotel eco-grading policy in 2017 but has now enhanced it with input from BAFTA’s Albert, the organisation that champions environmental sustainability for the film and TV industry.

Access Bookings’ enhanced scheme enables hotels to showcase their environmental credentials and receive a grading by providing responses to 18 questions about the likes of energy sources and decarbonisation initiatives.

The number of questions has increased from 11 and they have been “updated to be more in line and up to date with the requirements of what productions need from a green point of view”.

More than 1,800 hotels have provided responses so far, with those properties concentrated in ‘key media locations’ in the UK including London, Manchester, Glasgow, Bristol, Cardiff and Birmingham.

Of the hotels that have provided responses, 60 per cent are flagged as ‘gold’ in the TMC’s booking platforms, 38 per cent are silver, and two per cent are bronze.

Adam Hall, director of ESG at Access Bookings, said: “We’re passionate about sustainability and want to continue improving, and that means making sure our hotels are doing their bit too.

“As our customers become more environmentally aware, they are seeking accommodation solutions that align with their values, making sustainability a key factor in their decision-making process. For hotels, this means that transparency is not just a moral obligation but a business imperative.

“Our updated policy allows hotels to build greater trust with our clients and we know that when they openly share their sustainability practices and achievements, guests can make informed choices, knowing that their stay supports environmentally responsible businesses.”

Access Bookings was ranked the 19th largest TMC in the UK in BTN Europe’s Leading TMCs 2024 report and has offices in the UK and Los Angeles.