The recent decision by Booking.com to discontinue its “Travel Sustainable” program will spark a significant shift towards more reliable and transparent sustainability efforts within the hospitality industry. This move, prompted by concerns from the ACM – Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (relating to potential misinterpretations of sustainability badges) paves the way for third-party certification systems like ECOsmart. It’s important to acknowledge that Booking.com’s initiative, a forerunner in its field, aimed to steer the industry towards more eco-conscious practices, with no intention of misleading but rather to encourage sustainable travel.
ECOsmart, a leader in sustainability certification for hotels, offers a groundbreaking approach to validating and promoting genuine sustainable practices. We see ECOsmart as an innovator in the industry with the “My ECOsmart” portal and API as well as our relationships with business travel and event agencies. Unlike traditional rating systems, ECOsmart’s accreditation is rooted in verifiable, impactful sustainability actions and encouraging hotels to continually progress their sustainability journey.
Our sophisticated API links enable consumers to filter accommodation based on specific real time sustainability criteria, such as compliance with living wage standards, the utilisation of onsite renewable energy or palm oil-free policies. This technology ensures that travellers can make informed decisions based on meaningful sustainability highlights and it is available to venue directories or hotel booking sites that have access to our API.
The ACM’s comments around Booking.com’s “Travel Sustainable” program highlighted the need for clarity and honesty in communicating sustainability efforts. The scoring system, which assigned properties a rating from 1 to 3+ based on their sustainability practices, was deemed potentially misleading by the ACM. They argued that such a system could give a distorted impression of a property’s true environmental impact. The ACM also stressed the importance of clear, correct, and relevant sustainability claims, noting the growing consumer demand for transparency in how their travel choices affect the climate.
In response to this, Booking.com has announced its commitment to prioritising third-party certification systems. This shift underscores the importance of independent verification in the sustainability credentials of accommodation. ECOsmart’s role in this new era is crucial – by offering a detailed, transparent, and verifiable certification process, ECOsmart helps bridge the gap between traveller and buyer expectations and the actual sustainability efforts of hotels.
With over 16,500 properties on Booking.com now showcasing third-party sustainability certifications, we recommend any accommodation supplier who does not currently have a sustainability certification to consider ECOsmart. Booking.com recently have said the following on their website, “Becoming third-party certified demonstrates your commitment to sustainability, boosts your credibility, and aligns with travelers’ growing preference for sustainable properties. Certifications will also ensure you follow sustainability practices that can help you conserve resources like energy, water, and waste, helping you save on costs over time.”
ECOsmart’s emphasis on specific, impactful sustainability practices not only enhances the credibility of certified properties but also empowers travellers to support accommodations that are genuinely committed to making a positive environmental impact.
If you were part of the Travel Sustainable Badge on Booking.com more information can be read here – Sustainability program evolution FAQs | Booking.com for Partners
If you would like to find out more about ECOsmart and our certification please sign up to our portal here or reach out to the team on contact@greengage.solutions
