ECOTOURISM KENYA AND TRAVELIFE SIGN COLLABORATION AGREEMENT
(Posted 21st November 2019)
Travelife for Accommodation, an international accommodation sustainability certification scheme, and Ecotourism Kenya, a regional sustainability label, have signed an agreement to collaborate on certification for accommodation providers in Kenya.
This collaboration will enable Kenyan properties to achieve both the Ecotourism Kenya label and the internationally recognised Travelife Gold Certification after an onsite audit that will be conducted by auditors working for Ecotourism Kenya that have been specially trained by Travelife.
“By collaborating with Travelife, we are making it simpler for Kenyan accommodation providers to demonstrate their commitment to operating responsibly at an international and local level so that visitors to Kenya can rely on Travelife and Ecotourism Kenya certification.” said Grace Nderitu, CEO of Ecotourism Kenya.
Ecotourism Kenya member properties will now be able to join Travelife to access a variety of online tools and resources that will help them improve their sustainability performance. When they are ready, an onsite audit will be carried out by a Travelife Approved Auditor. If successful, they will receive both the Travelife Gold and Ecotourism Kenya labels. They will be listed on Travelife’s global consumer website, the Travelife Collection, and be highlighted to Travelife’s tour operator members.
This enables tour operators, travel agents and travellers to more easily identify sustainable accommodation providers in Kenya.
“We are delighted to announce this important collaboration with Ecotourism Kenya and look forward to welcoming new properties from Kenya to join our 1,500 Members around the world who are committed to sustainable business practices. Sustainability certification is a proven method for improving the environmental and social impacts of tourism and is the only way that an accommodation provider can independently verify their sustainability claims. We are confident that our work with Ecotourism Kenya will have a really positive impact in the region.” said Carolyn Wincer, Commercial Director for Travelife.
Ecotourism Kenya is a business membership association directly serving more than 350 members, and reaching out to hundreds more in Kenya. Since its inception in 1996 Ecotourism Kenya has been involved in a wide range of activities to promote and broaden the industry understanding of sustainable tourism, and attract membership beyond the mainstream tourism industry.
Ecotourism Kenya has had many firsts: it was the first Ecotourism Society in Africa; the first to develop a voluntary GSTC Recognized eco-certification scheme for hotels/lodges in Africa, the first to publish a Green Directory of producers of green products and services, the first to develop a customized
sustainability standard for Tour Operators in E. Africa and the first to develop Green Destination Guidelines in Africa. For more information, visit their website https://ecotourismkenya.org/.
Travelife is an internationally recognised accommodation sustainability programme. In over 50 countries they have around 1,500 members who use their practical tools and resources to improve their business’s environmental, financial and social impact.
Containing a range of criteria that assess accommodation performance in the areas of human rights, labour, community engagement and environmental impacts, their GSTC-recognised standard was designed by the tourism industry, for the tourism industry. Their global team of independent auditors visit every property to conduct an audit against the Travelife Standard. Properties that meet these exacting standards receive a Travelife Gold Certification in the form of a logo and certificate that they use to show their commitment to responsible tourism. They are also listed on their consumer website, The Travelife Collection, and they work with leading UK and European tour operator members to promote Travelife Gold Members, making it easier for travellers to find sustainable accommodation options. For more information visit
www.travelifestaybetter.com.
