Travelocity launches green accommodation site

Travelocity has launched an eco-friendly directory to help travellers determine green from ‘green-washed.’ In a recent Travelocity survey, 59 per cent of respondents stated a ‘green’ rating would have at least some influence in their hotel selection in 2009. The green travel directory highlights properties and destinations already offering meaningful sustainability initiatives and is a trusted resource for consumers looking for eco-friendly options in 2009. To help create longer-term criteria for Sustainable Tourism, Travelocity is also an active member in the Partnership for the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (GSTC Partnership).

Travelocity fully supports the development of the first-ever, widely-accepted sustainable tourism criteria, which offer a common framework to guide the emerging practice of Sustainable Tourism and to help businesses, consumers, governments and universities ensure that tourism helps, rather than harms, local communities and the environment. The GSTC Partnership will teach hotels and tour operators how to implement the criteria as well as qualify organisations as sustainable travel companies.