Travalyst introduces list to standardise sustainable hotel certification

Travalyst, the not-for-profit coalition of travel tech providers, has launched a list of 49 sustainable accommodation certification schemes that comply with a set of criteria aimed at improving industry alignment and credibility.

Founded in 2019 by Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, Travalyst has a goal to standardise sustainability data rated to travel with members such as global distribution systems Sabre, Amadeus and Travelport, payments providers Visa and Mastercard and platforms such Booking.com, Expedia Group, Google, Skyscanner, Trip.com and Tripadvisor.

Its latest initiative seeks to “enable industry alignment behind accommodation sustainability certifications” by asking certification bodies to meet a set of three criteria developed by the coalition and its independent advisory group.

These include: (1) a third-party audit that includes an on-site or remote online assessment of sustainable practices reported by the property; (2) publicly available standards upon which the certification is based; and (3) a focus on evaluating the impact of social, economic or environmental factors aligned to the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

“These criteria are designed to establish an initial threshold that supports the certification industry to meet evolving regulatory requirements,” Travalyst said in a statement.

The list of compliant certification schemes includes the EU Ecolabel, Earthcheck, Green Key Global, the Green Leaf Foundation, Fair Trade Tourism and the World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC’s) Hotel Sustainability Basics.

Sally Davey, CEO of Travalyst, added: “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.”

The full list can be found here.