Who should consider ECO certification?
Tourism accommodation establishments interested in:-
- Reducing their impact on the environment
- Reducing operational costs
- Increasing their Corporate Social Responsibility
- Improving their corporate image
- Tapping into the growing market of environmentally-conscious travellers
Benefits of the ECO certification scheme
‘Green' operations will result in several direct benefits to hotels, including:
- Lower energy consumption
- Lower water consumption
- Waste reduction
- Reduction of purchasing costs
- Higher profitability
The hotel will also benefit from increased customer satisfaction, given that the environmental awareness of travellers is increasing. Research conducted by the Malta Tourism Authority (2009) shows that 68% of tourists surveyed expressed high levels of interest in environmental issues, while 57% would be willing to pay an average of 8% more for their hotel accommodation.
An added benefit of forming part of the ECO certification scheme is that hotels will gain from technical support on environmental issues, especially through the annual seminars organised by the Malta Tourism Authority.
Indirectly, hotels with green operations also create positive social impacts - by demonstrating their commitment towards the environment, hotels create environmental awareness among tourists visiting our country, who may be encouraged to have a more environment-friendly lifestyle back home. Similarly, hotels also create environmental awareness among their employees who are encouraged to extend their eco-friendly lifestyle beyond the place of work.