Travelocity has awarded its ‘green leaf tag’, denoting an eco-friendly hotel, to more than 300 properties in the Hilton Worldwide portfolio.
The online travel agent will add the properties, which have been validated by Hilton Worldwide’s LightStay sustainability measurement system, to its Green Hotel Directory.
Travelocity claims to be the only major online travel company to tag eco-friendly hotels across its entire site.
‘Our eco-friendly leaf is a symbol consumers can trust and it makes shopping a snap,’ said Alison Presley, manager of Travelocity’s Travel for Good programme.
‘We’re excited to award it to over 300 of Hilton Worldwide’s green properties.’
To be listed in the Travelocity Green Hotel Directory, a property must be certified by a second- or third-party programme that aligns with the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria, and have an on-site audit.
The criteria were developed by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, a coalition of UN bodies, research and academic institutions, social and environmental non-governmental organisations and certification programmes.
To date, Travelocity has flagged more than 2,200 hotels with the eco-friendly leaf.
Hilton Worldwide’s LightStay system measures energy and water use and waste and carbon output at the group’s hotels.
It also analyses performance across 200 operational practices, such as housekeeping, paper-product usage, food waste, chemical storage, air quality and transportation.
‘The Travelocity eco-friendly leaf tag is something our hotels will showcase proudly,’ said Paul Brown, president of global brands and commercial services, Hilton Worldwide.
‘Operating in a responsible and sustainable manner is a Hilton Worldwide priority and a central part of how the company does business, and by Dec 31 2011, all of our 3,600-plus properties will use LightStay.’
Hilton Worldwide operates the Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton, Doubletree, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations brands.