Eco Tourism Certificates

Select Green Hotels is a member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). The GSTC manages global standards for sustainable travel and tourism and provides international accreditation for sustainable tourism Certification Bodies. Membership is open to all interested parties and does not by itself imply endorsement by the GSTC of the policies and practices of the member organization.

Why are we showcasing eco-labels in addition to our sustainability criteria?

Usually, we strive for minimalism. However, when it comes to inspections by certifications bodies, we think the more the merrier. An eco certificate offers an extra layer of guidance to the traveler and thus helps to make more conscious choices. All hotel certifications that we demonstrate on our site, are following international standards and are officially recognized by the GSTC.

Global Sustainable Tourism Council

The GSTC Criteria form the foundation Accreditation for Certification Bodies that certify hotels/accommodations, tour operators/transport providers, and destinations as having sustainable policies and practices in place. GSTC does not directly certify any products or services; but provides an accreditation program through its partner ASI/Assurance Services International to accredit Certification Bodies.

www.gstcouncil.org

Green Globe Certification

The Green Globe certification is a structured assessment of the sustainability performance of travel and tourism businesses and their supply chain partners. Businesses can monitor improvements and document achievements leading to certification of their enterprises’ sustainable operation and management.

The Green Globe Standard includes 44 core criteria supported by over 380 compliance indicators. The applicable indicators vary by type of certification, geographical area as well as local factors. The entire Green Globe Standard is reviewed and updated twice per calendar year.

greenglobe.com

Green Key

Green Key is a voluntary ecolabel for hotels, hostels, campsites, holiday parks, small accommodations as well as conference centres, attractions and restaurants. The Green Key award is based on compliance with strict criteria in the areas of environmental management (water, energy, waste, cleaning, etc.) and sustainability education (staff, guests, suppliers, etc.). Compliance with the criteria is confirmed through a rigorous application process and verified at on-site audits. The award is valid for one year at a time. Currently (May 2021), more than 3,000 establishments in 60 countries are Green Key awarded. The program is managed by the international charity, the Foundation for Environmental Education. Green Key is endorsed by the World Tourism Organization and its hotel criteria are recognized by Global Sustainable Tourism Council.

www.greenkey.global

Green Sign

GreenSign is the leading sustainability certification for the hotel industry in Europe. The GSTC (Global Sustainable Tourism Council) recognized testing system evaluates and documents ecological, social and economic aspects of hotel management in over 100 criteria in eight core areas. This ACTUAL status assessment provides the perfect basis for a continuous improvement process in sustainability. In Germany, GreenSign is the market leader as a sustainability seal for hotels. However, it has also established itself internationally with now over 600 certified hotels in 18 countries.

The five-stage certification system, which was built on international frameworks, is unique in the industry and offers a transparent representation of sustainability in the eight core areas with the GreenSign Sustainability Barometer.
The information provided by the hotels is rigorously verified during a personal on-site audit. The sustainability certification is awarded for 3 years, after which a new evaluation and audit take place.