EU ECOLABEL: POPULAR IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY

The green label gains popularity in a number of fields, including tourism. Most people agree with it. It forces tourist organizations to keep to certain criteria if they wish to keep the flower label. The criteria are all in the environment’s favour.  It is nothing new in modern marketing that companies claim to be friends of the environment in order to gain popularity. Environmentalists may favour a company claiming to grow flowers or use recycled packaging material. However, the European Flower Ecolabel, which came into the tourism sector in 1993, forces companies and organisations to prove what they claim with inspections to check if what they say about their environmental policies is true or not. The label is a very recognizable flower, known throughout Europe at least. The label is recognised in many industries, yet it is particularly prominent in tourists’ choice of accommodation – taking into account that many sets of lodgings tend to be situated on unspoiled terrain, which is often vulnerable to abuse. In order for the accommodation to achieve the Ecolabel, it must fulfill a number of requirements. One requirement is to have at least 22% of its electricity from a renewable source. Similarly, the site must provide proof that it tries to have reduced water flow. Furthermore, proof must be provided to the tune that the site recycles waste on the premises and separates glass and plastics. These are simple instructions, which should be adhered to in any case. There should be a general sense of wellbeing at the site and unnecessary emissions of odors and fumes should not be tolerated. Any entrepreneur with a Mediterranean hotel chain, city hotel palace, mountain hut, B&B, farmhouse or campsite can apply for the European Ecolabel. The great advantage of this label is that tourists no longer need to check all of these items separately as the Ecolabel does it for them.