Travelsmart
KELOWNA, BC, Sept. 15, 2016 /CNW/ – The world’s largest sustainability certification program for the tourism industry will now be helping Canadian tourism businesses to reduce their environmental impacts.
Through a regular dose of complimentary webinars, white papers, how-to-guides and checklists, Green Tourism will help the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) grow and develop Canada’s tourism sector in a way that helps to meet the growing traveller demand for responsible business, while working to reduce the industry’s environmental and carbon footprint.
“We are thrilled to enter into this supplier partner agreement with TIAC,” says Angela Nagy, CEO of GreenStep Solutions, the delivery agent for the Green Tourism program in Canada. “Globally, tourism represents about 2% of all greenhouse gas emissions. There are huge opportunities for Canadian tourism businesses to minimize their impacts while also reducing their costs and attracting more guests, making the industry more resilient in today’s competitive market.”
“TIAC is pleased to offer its members additional tools to enhance their sustainability efforts through our partnership with Green Tourism. We hope these tools and best practices will help Canada’s tourism industry increase their sustainability programs to meet growing expectations from today’s consumers,” says Charlotte Bell, TIAC President and CEO.
As one of the first sustainable tourism certification programs in the world, Green Tourism has always been a leader in making it easy for businesses and travellers to make a difference. In addition to providing assessments and certification, Green Tourism offers educational resources for tourism businesses, helping them to understand the top and bottom line benefits of integrating sustainability practices into their operations, marketing, and other areas. These resources are designed to provide valuable and relevant information to tourism business operators in bite-sized, easy to implement chunks in order to help them improve operational efficiencies, reduce their environmental impacts, and enhance their ability to tell a credible and authentic green story as part of their marketing efforts.
Says Lauren Douglas, Managing Director of Green Tourism Bronze Member Orca Spirit Adventures, “Green Tourism Canada has given our business a better focus on where we need to monitor and has provided excellent mentorship towards becoming a greener company. Customers are looking for green companies and we want to exceed their expectations.”
Green Tourism is delivered in Canada by award winning sustainability consulting firm, GreenStep Solutions, which was recently recognized by B the Change Media as “Best for the World for Environment” for the positive sustainability impacts that they have been able to achieve with their customers.
About Green Tourism Canada:
- Green Tourism is recognized as the world’s largest and most credible sustainable tourism certification program. (1)
- The criteria are aligned with ISO 14001 and exceed the Global Sustainable Tourism Council Criteria, as validated by the International Centre for Responsible Tourism, and take a holistic approach to sustainability.
- With over 15 years of experience, there are currently more than 2,000 certified businesses internationally.
- There are currently more than 100 Canadian businesses that are certified or “awaiting grading”.
Every business recognized through the Green Tourism program has received an assessment by a green business expert, followed by a customized grading report and scorecard, complete with guidance and recommendations for improving their sustainability performance, reducing costs, and ideas for sharing their green achievements with their guests. To learn more visit www.greentourismcanada.ca.
(1) Totem Greenwash Report, Totem Tourism 2013
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