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The Enviroment:
UNITED KINGDOM – Visit Scotland
Green Tourism Business Scheme
The Green Tourism Business Scheme was developed over ten years ago in Scotland to help businesses working in the hospitality sector achieve efficiency and marketing benefits by managing their environmental responsibilities. VisitScotland's Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS) encourages tourism businesses to be environmentally friendly, whether they are hotels or guest houses, bed and breakfasts or self-catering or visitor attractions. The GTBS has over 900 members, all of whom are rigorously assessed and given a Bronze, Silver or Gold Award, depending on the level of energy-efficiency they achieve. Members are encouraged to introduce measures which are designed to lessen the impact of their business on the environment.
And some quick facts:
· The Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS) began in 1997.
· We were the first in Europe to develop this type of scheme
· We currently have around 900 members in the scheme.
· At 900 members, it is still the largest scheme of its kind in Europe and potentially the world. It has also been taken on as the key sustainability scheme by many regions in England and now, very recently, in the BreconBeacons in Wales. VisitEngland has decided to only acknowledge/promote sustainability schemes that pass its “green scheme” validation process and up until now, only the Green Tourism Business Scheme has passed.
· Going Green is a free, on-line initiative, available to businesses in VS Quality Assurance, that gives them a host of ideas and suggestions to help in working towards a GTBS award over a 2 year period.
Sustainability and green issues are now very much mainstream, with governments, businesses and individuals all involved. Tourism, as one of the main economic drivers in the UK, has its part to play. That is where the Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS) comes in.
The GTBS is the national sustainable tourism certification scheme for the UK. Originally developed in partnership with Visit Scotland, it is now the only certification scheme validated by Visit Britain, through the International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT). “GTBS provides excellent value for money to a wide range of tourism firms with first class environmental advice and auditing. Satisfaction rates of certified firms are very high and drop out rates low, both for the smallest of tourism firms and increasingly at corporate level.” Xavier Font, ICRT.
The Gleneagles Hotel is one of the reosrt have already been awarded a prestigious Gold Award from the Green Tourism Business Scheme for their environmental work, and a Commitment to Excellence Award from Leading Hotels of the World.
Businesses opting to join Green Tourism are assessed by a qualified grading advisor against a rigorous set of criteria, covering a range of areas, like energy and water efficiency, waste management, biodiversity and more. Those businesses that meet the required standard, receive a Bronze, Silver, or Gold award based on their level of achievement. The current network of members is comprised of a wide range of business types, including accommodation providers, visitor attractions, corporate offices and others.
How sustainable tourism works for everyone? Supporting a more sustainable tourism with the help of the Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS) -
* Benefits the environment by conserving resources * Reduces waste * Reduces costs through efficiencies and staff awareness * Fulfils customers expectations of businesses to look after their environment * Attracts new customers * Offers business customers in particular green certified suppliers they are increasingly demanding * Improves your public image * Improves the customer experience * Improves the quality of the service you provide * Benefits the local community * Supports the local economy
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