Naut Kusters

Athens, January 20, 2012

The Travelife initiative and its

synergy with EOS CODE

2

ECEAT - Projects

• Not for profit organization (1993)

• Promoting sustainability in tourism

• Businesses oriented approach

3

ECEAT - Projects

Main activities / initiatives

• Develop and promote common industry

standards and tools

• Co-founder of the Global Sustainable Tourism

Council (GSTC)

• Leader of the VISIT initiative (harmonizing

existing Hotel sustainability certificates)

• Initiator / manager of the Travelife

Sustainability system for tour operators.

4

Contents

• Background

• Travelife for tour operators

• Travelife for Hotels

• Who is already on board

• Next steps

Background:

towards a common tour

operator approach

Hotel sustainabilty labels......

(10/2011)

7

Situation in the Hotel sector…..

• Many different standards

• Hardly possible to bring labels together

• High management and audit cost

• Many countries / regions without certificate

• No success < 1 % committed / certified

• No recognition in the market

……to be avoided in the tour operator sector!

8

���� TOI, Tour Operators Initiative / UNEP

Sustainability manuals and tools (2000)

���� ANVR, Dutch TO association

Environmental management system (2003)

���� FTO/ABTA, UK Travel associations

Health and safety system (2004)

���� Individual tour operators

Environmental checklists (2000 �)

Tour operators ����

combining early experiences

EU LIFE Project (2004 – 2007)

Two systems,

one brand

Travelife for Tour operators /

Travel agents

Tour Operator and Travel agent tools

1. Commitment and Training

2. Management system

3. Reporting

4. Certification

EOS Code signature (self commitment)

EOS Code informal training

Appoint sustainability co-ordinator

Travelife formal training

Travelife exam � personal certificate

Commitment and Training

ONLINE : Training & Exam

Management system

6 steps

Minimum management

requirements

•Sustainability coordinator •Management training •Policy statement •Action planning (based on best practices) •Publishing of the sustainability policy•Reporting

Report

Travelife Reporting tool

Travelife

Company

Certificate

Award system

1. Self commitment (EOS Code)

2. Online report to association (basic award)

3. Third party external on-site audit

(in compliance with EMAS)

Travelife for Hotels

Hotel Sustainability system

� Online assessment system for accommodations

���� Based on 100+ environmental and social criteria

���� Audits by third parties

���� Award system (Bronze, Silver and Gold)

Shared information

� Tour operators

� Auditors

� Accommodations

Shared information

� Tour operators

� Auditors

� Accommodations

(self) checklist

Overview accommodations

Common TO logo for

sustainble products

Virgin Holidays

Winter 2008

First Choice

Winter 2008

Extra promotion towards

consumers

Who is already on board?

Major European companies

28

European Parliament and Commission

•Endorsement as key industry initiative in EU

Tourism policy

•Funding through 3-year Eco-innovation project

•Harmonisation with EU Ecolabel and EMAS

Commitment from 7

European associations

• UK

• Netherlands

• Belgium

• Germany

• Spain

• Finland

• Denmark

Commitment through co-operation

with EOS Code partners

• Greece

• Italy

• Bulgaria

• Poland

• Croatia

31

Thailand

Brazil

Kenya

32

Next steps in co-operation

with EOS Code partners

• Launch of the common Travelife / EOS code

programme

• Formal training for EOS code companies

• Introduction basic award certificate in EOS

countries

You are invited to join!

Thank you!