Many of ecolabels appear on websites, on the facades of accommodation providers or even on beaches. For 30 years now, labels have been developing in tourism, to guide travelers towards more environmentally friendly destinations. According to GlobalData, ecolabels will gain even more importance and become vital for tourism, especially since the sector will have to show its impact on the environment more and more.
Green Key, European Ecolabel, Green Globe... stickers and other badges are more and more numerous to appear on the front of hotels, ads on sites or even beaches. These certifications appeared in the 1990s and continue to develop.
"Social awareness is becoming more and more important. Environmental issues in tourism are getting more important than we ever imagined," said Paul Arseneault, vice president of the MT Lab.
While we must not fall into the trap of greenwashing, these promotions and their developments highlight one thing above all: the consumer wants an increasingly sustainable offer.
According to experts, ecolabels will gain importance in the tourism sector. The adoption of badges, demonstrating higher or lower performance on environmental benchmarks, makes companies' sustainability claims seem more trustworthy. This will increase the demand for their products and services.
These badges help tourism businesses increase transparency, offer responsible alternatives to travelers and demonstrate positive environmental performance. And that is also the whole point of these certifications: to provide transparency to help travelers make their choices.
Especially since, according to the research firm, almost 75% of global consumers agreed with making the introduction of sustainability labels on products mandatory.
In a sector as marketed as tourism, with multinational companies, ecolabels must also provide reliable information; they simply become vital for tourism.
Just like household appliances, travel could see its product sheets rated according to their impact on the environment and on its sustainability (social dimension).
Whether it's through the creation of independent ecobadges or the adoption of labels awarded by external accreditation providers, travel and tourism companies should strive for these quality labels that enhance transparency, increase revenue, and promote sustainability.
