Is your hotel green
The Considerate Hoteliers Association has announced two new categories for next April's awards ceremony: green team of the year and green champion of 2008, hailing a new direction for hotels.
The ceremony at The Cavendish London Hotel will reward hoteliers who have made energy, waste and cost reductions, chairman of the Considerate Hoteliers Association Liam Lambert told Travel Mole.
An ecotourism survey of more than 1,000 people across the world found a quarter were planning an ecotourism trip and more than a third thought travelling green was important.
TripAdvisor found 38 per cent had stayed in environmentally-friendly hotels and nine per cent specifically sought out eco-friendly practices at hotels. Energy ranked most important, followed by conserving water and using recycled paper.
Eco-accommodation
Where is most environmentally friendly? According to Google, the greenest town in Europe is Vaxjo, a three-hour drive from the affordable accommodation in Malmo, Sweden. However, British people argue staying in one of the cheap hotels in Sheffield is better for you because of the abundant amount of trees whereas the Germans say the greenest city is Hamburg.
Practices to enquire about include how often hoteliers change the sheets. A total 78 per cent of people said they would decline to have their sheets and towels changed after they had been provided, according to TripAdvisor.
Apex, which has hotels in London, Edinburgh and Dundee is one of the most responsible chains in the UK. Hotels are monitored on an individual hotel-by-hotel basis and overseen by an environmental director, who implements eco-friendly policy. More hotels are planned next year and in 2010.
Green transport
With the increasing cost of fuel, most people are turning to modes of transport other than aircraft anyway. But one of the most polluting ways to take a holiday is by going through the sky. Don't forget there are cheap deals with Eurostar and fresh air to enjoy on European ferries. Taking a cycling trip has become less of a novelty now and would be a great way to stay in shape on your break.
According to TripAdvisor, 24 per cent of respondents believed air travel should be avoided where possible. More than a third would pay more for an eco-friendly flight and a quarter would pay up to ten per cent more.
Paying extra
A third of travellers would pay more to stay at an environmentally-friendly hotel with a quarter willing to spend up to ten per cent more and 12 per cent prepared to pay up to 20 per cent. The majority of people polled thought environmentally-friendly measures in travel were making a difference.
Green spots
The Eden Project shows off prize-winning horticulture alongside bio diverse nature at Bodelva in Cornwall. In Paris the Air and Space Museum has displays about pollution and the natural environment. The Museum is in a park overlooking the city for those that would like to spend the day in beautiful surroundings with a picnic.
© Copyright
