Increasing visibility of sustainability attributes and performance helps

To secure MICE and corporate travel contracts, hotels must align with globally recognized sustainability verification and certifications, such as Hotel Sustainability Basics verification by WTTC, eco-labels certifications, including those which are eligible for GSTC-Recognized Standards and required accreditation, ideally with regular onsite audits and with a clear focus on improving sustainability performance of a hotel property. With the recent formation of the Tourism Sustainability Certifications Alliance (TSCA), there is a growing emphasis on aligning and improving sustainability performance while distinguishing between eco-labels for hotel operations and building certifications.

Corporate clients assess sustainability efforts using a range of metrics. While some develop proprietary criteria, many now adopt GBTA RFP sustainability standards, which provide a structured framework for evaluating hotels. Some corporate clients also developed a scoring system that allows them to align their sustainability priorities with standardized RFP sections.

Technology plays a key role in streamlining this process. For verification and certification of sustainability efforts, data is collected through third parties rather than hotels themselves. Platforms such as BeCause help facilitate the seamless exchange of this information across various market platforms, OTAs, and TMCs. Furthermore, hotels leverage sustainability data management systems to manually or automatically share sustainability information with corporate clients and booking platforms. These technological advancements help ensure that sustainability data remains accurate, reliable, and easily accessible.