Travelife to be integrated with the European Eco Label

The accommodation eco label managed by the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) - the Travelife Sustainability System - is to become integrated with the European Ecolabel, it was revealed today at ABTA's annual conference in Malta.

The EU Ecolabel is only awarded to a product or service that has met strict environmental and performance standards. Those accommodation suppliers that gain the Gold Award in the Travelife programme will now be eligible to gain the EU Ecolabel kitemark. 

The news follows the announcement this summer that TUI, Europe’s largest tour operator, is aiming to have half of its customers staying in Travelife-awarded hotels by the end of Summer 2011. It is also working towards having all of its suppliers Travelife-awarded within five years.

By the end of October, TUI estimates 25 percent of its customer will be staying in a Travelife-awarded hotel. Earlier this year it advised all its main suppliers that by May 2011 they will need to subscribe to the Travelife Sustainability System. The mandate is included within its Sustainable Development Contract Addendum that’s part of its main contract with all suppliers.  It aims to encourage suppliers to embed sustainability into their operations, including registering to Travelife.

Chris Thompson Travelife Sustainability Manager said: “It is a fantastic achievement for Travelife to have gained this funding from the European Union so that we can fully utilise the benefits of achieving EU Eco label status. It is also a major endorsement of TUI UK’s ongoing commitment to sustainability that they aim to have half of their customers staying in accommodation providers with Travelife by next year”.

Garry Wilson, Director of Purchasing for TUI UK & Ireland said, “We are working towards having all of our suppliers Travelife-awarded within five years and have 50% of our customers staying in Travelife-awarded hotels by next summer."

Related stories:
11 September 2009: ABTA launches Travelife directory of 'green' hotels