The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) is giving its Hotel Sustainability Basics programme a significant upgrade by transforming it into an independently certified scheme to meet new European sustainability requirements.
“Hotel Sustainability Basics has demonstrated that sustainability can be practical, achievable and scalable, with thousands of hotels already taking meaningful action around the world. By strengthening the programme through independent certification, we are giving hotels a globally recognised framework that reflects evolving regulatory expectations while building greater trust and confidence in sustainability claims,” said Gloria Guevara, President & CEO, WTTC.
The move aims to strengthen confidence in hotels’ environmental claims as governments tighten rules around green marketing and sustainability reporting.
A Response to Tougher EU Rules
The updated certification aligns with the European Union’s new Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive, which introduces stricter standards for businesses making environmental claims.
Rather than relying solely on self-declarations, participating hotels will be able to obtain independent third-party verification, providing greater transparency for travellers, investors, and business partners.
The programme is also being aligned with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) Accreditation Framework, one of the hospitality industry’s leading international sustainability benchmarks.
More Than 8,000 Hotels Already Participate
Since launching in 2022, Hotel Sustainability Basics has been adopted by more than 8,000 hotels across 85 countries.
The framework outlines twelve practical sustainability measures covering areas such as:
- energy efficiency,
- water conservation,
- waste reduction,
- emissions,
- support for local communities,
- and nature protection.
Designed for hotels of every size, the programme has become one of the industry’s most widely adopted entry-level sustainability frameworks.
Current participants won’t need to take immediate action, with WTTC and certification partners expected to guide hotels through the transition over the coming months.
The Next Step: Basics Plus
Later this year, WTTC will introduce Basics Plus, an expanded programme developed with the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance.
The new tier is intended to help hotels progress beyond basic sustainability practices toward independently verified environmental performance.
“The evolution of Hotel Sustainability Basics into an independent certification is a monumental step forward. By aligning this framework with EU standards and integrating it with our Pathway to Net Positive Hospitality, we are providing a seamless, credible roadmap for the global accommodation sector. Together with the upcoming Basics Plus, we are empowering hotels of every size to move confidently from essential practices to verified performance, proving that a united industry can drive truly scalable change,” said Glenn Mandziuk, President & CEO of the WSHA.
Sustainability has become one of tourism’s favorite words. Certification, however, is increasingly becoming the word that matters. As regulators move to curb greenwashing, simply claiming to be “eco-friendly” is no longer enough. Hotels are expected to demonstrate measurable action—and increasingly, to have someone else verify it.
For travellers, that’s good news, because choosing a sustainable hotel should require less guesswork than reading the breakfast menu.
