Accor Asia Pacific announced today that 19 Novotel hotels and resorts throughout the region have achieved Green Globe Sustainable Tourism Certification. An additional 12 Novotels in the region have attained the “benchmarked” status and are well underway towards certification. This significant commitment is part of the ambition to have the Asia Pacific network of 81 Novotels certified, by year end.

The newest hotels to achieve certification are Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, Novotel Lombok and Novotel Bogor.

Globally the Novotel network of almost 400 hotels and resorts has made a commitment to Green Globe Sustainable Tourism by 2010.

“Today’s traveler is increasingly aware of the impact that travel has on the environment and seeking hotels that demonstrate a credible commitment to positive environmental practices” says Evan Lewis – Vice President Communications for Accor Asia Pacific.

“The Green Globe Sustainable Tourism Certification process brings a heightened environmental consciousness to our hotels, as it engages with all departments and with employees at all levels, resulting in improved practices and reduced wastage and consumption of water and energy.”

Green Globe is an international organisation that provides certification for Sustainable Tourism, originally established in 1992 by the World Tourism and Travel Council and based on Agenda 21 (priorities of the 21st century for the planet).

The Green Globe certification takes place in two stages; first an assessment of the environmental performance according to a benchmarking audit and then the establishment of environmental management system to improve each hotels performance with respect to sustainable development policies. Following this, each hotel is externally audited for compliance to Green Globe standards.

All details concerning Novotel’s commitment to Green Globe and certified hotels are available online at youandusforearth.com Here you will find general information, latest press releases, interview requests and press kit on the initiative.

Novotel – Designed for Natural Living

Novotel offers 393 hotels and resorts located in the heart of major international cities, business districts and tourist destinations. Everywhere, the brand upholds its fundamental values of modernity, good design, simplicity and efficiency so that today's travelers feel naturally at home.
Through a consistent top quality offer, Novotel contributes to the well-being of business and leisure travelers alike. Guests will always find spacious rooms with flexible features adapted to both work and relaxation, a balanced choice of food and beverages available around the clock, and friendly, attentive staff, plus children's play areas, fitness centers and places to relax.
Novotel has long been committed to promoting sustainable development through its active involvement in the Accor Group's Earth Guest program. Today, it reaffirms this position by pledging that all hotels will be committed to the Green Globe environmental program by 2010.
In 2008, the Novotel network includes 393 hotels and resorts, representing a total of more than 71,456 rooms, in 60 countries.

Accor, a major global group and the European leader in hotels, as well as the global leader in services to corporate clients and public institutions, operates in nearly 100 countries with 150,000 employees.
It offers to its clients over 40 years of expertise in two core businesses:
-Hotels, with the Sofitel, Pullman, MGallery, Novotel, Mercure, Suitehotel, Ibis, all seasons, Etap Hotel, Formule 1 and Motel 6 brands, representing 4,000 hotels and nearly 500,000 rooms in 90 countries, as well as strategically related activities, such as Lenôtre;
- Services, with 30 million people in 40 countries benefiting from Accor Services products in employee and public benefits, rewards and loyalty, and expense management.

Evan Lewis
Vice President Communications Accor
+65 6408 8840
Accor Asia