Green Key and Historic Hotels of Europe cooperate to ensure high sustainability industry standards

The partnership between Green Key and Historic Hotels of Europe include a joint ambition of having high sustainability standards and protecting the heritage of each establishment.

The following interview is with Paula Ellis, Group General Manager of Twr y Felin Hotel, Penrhiw Priory and Roch Castle

Why did you decide to join Green Key for your hotels?

At Twr y Felin Hotel and our sister venues Roch Castle and Penrhiw Priory we are passionate about our environmental impact. We are located within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and feel strongly that we should support and promote the ethos that encompasses that. We wanted to ensure that the venues were as green as possible and that sustainability is a significant part of our business plan.

What did the achievement (Green Key award) mean for your establishments in terms of your work with sustainability? 

The award was a positive achievement for all of our team who had been involved in the process. Although some of the larger installations/changes had already been achieved at the time of opening, we regularly brainstormed to come up with new ideas for improvement, ensuring our sustainability is a team effort.

What would be your recommendations to other hotels (especially other HHE hotels) in relation to Green Key and the work with sustainability issues? 

We would suggest placing sustainability on the monthly agenda for discussion about how to improve the hotel. This will allow them to continually identify and improve their practices, which are not only beneficial to the environment but also something that many guests are now looking for in a venue.

The development of the hospitality industry in Slovenia

The hospitality industry in Slovenia has opposed various challenges and through determination and the support from Green Key has aided their development. Green Key National Operator for Slovenia; Boris Susmak shares his thoughts and experiences over the last three years.

Can you describe the development of the Green Key programme in Slovenia? It has been quite a development from the beginning, having challenges attracting establishments while today the programme has become popular in Slovenia. What kind of internal and external factors created this development?

In the last three years, the Green Key programme in Slovenia has had significant growth up to almost 90 facilities at this moment.

We did struggle for a few years before really starting the programme. However, we did many valuable things meanwhile such as translating application forms, preparing Green Key brochures, arranged some meetings with potentials candidates, but only the national Slovenian Green scheme with the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology's financial initiatives for the potential candidates entering the Slovenian Green scheme made a real breakthrough and started the programme three years ago.

Within the last three years, the programme's growth was so intense that we had to employ one full-time person, and only volunteering was not possible. Today we do have three DOVES-FEE Slovenia members involved, one full-time, two on a volunteer basis. We also established an excellent partnership with an NGO, Institute ROS, that organises Sustainable Tourism Workshops and help the potential candidates that decide for such support gain the Green Key status.

We do have to stress that growth occurred even with solid sustainable labels alternatives on the market. Nowadays, we are proud to be N.1 sustainable label for tourism facilities in Slovenia. The success is probably connected with the methodology/framework Green Key uses because we are on competitive levels, price-wise.

Most Green Key awarded establishments in Slovenia are in the "small accommodations" category. Why is this category so popular in Slovenia? And has it impacted the interest for Green Key from other types of establishments (in different categories)?

The small accommodation category leads, mainly because the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology's financial initiatives suit them most.

We are confident that the Slovenia Green scheme national campaign made the most significant impact on other categories. For example, in 2021, the focus is on Green cuisine, so many top restaurants join the Green Key programme. For instance, JRE restaurants, many of them also awarded Michelin.

But we do have to stress that we do have all accommodations types present already. Unforgettably, we did have the world's first winery involved in Green Key (https://klet-brda.si/) as our first attraction. The hotels started joining the programme last year, and we now have more than ten hotels involved already. On the other hand, there is a demand for a Tourism agencies/offices category that we do not have in the Green Key programme.

How has the Covid-19 pandemic affected the Green Key programme in Slovenia and what is your vision for Green Key in Slovenia in the coming years? Do you see the development in Slovenia having a possible impact on attracting establishments to Green Key in the wider Balkan region?

We are cautious with the projections, especially due to the Covid-19 situation and because national green initiatives will not be present or will have a different focus.

On the other hand, we noticed a change in tourist behaviour that search for clean, not so crowded destinations where you can taste almost zero km food and more actively spend your holidays in nature. Green Key facilities are and can be a reference point for this category of travellers.

We hope that the number of Green Key establishments in Slovenia and the EU (where most tourists came in Slovenia) will still grow.

We are also very confident that sustainable tourism will be a part of all booking platforms. It will attract even more establishments worldwide to join one of the sustainable or eco-labels available on the market. We are very confident that Green key, as a world-leading label, will have the best success.

The influence and growth of utilising the Green Key status for hotels in Mexico

Since its development, Green Key has ventured into various countries and in this article, we will discuss the impact that Green Key has had on the tourism industry in Mexico. Our interview partner in this article was the CEO of FEE Mexico; Joaquín Arturo Díaz Ríos.

FEE Mexico CEO; Joaquín Arturo Díaz Ríos.

When did the Green Key programme start in México, and can you briefly explain the development of the programme in México?

Green Key México began operations in 2014. During its first year, the Green Key programme awarded three hotels. The programme in México expanded from 6 to 9 hotels between 2015 and 2016.

2017 was a landmark year; the number of awarded hotels increased to 154. The key was the added value to the hotel’s operations, generating environmentally responsible operations, employing the support of audits for the different hotel chains, which we do to have greater supervision in establishments resulting, for example, in lower electricity consumption rates. On the other hand, the day-to-day accompaniment and advice resulted in an external and independent third party audit with the alliance with Green Key México.

Currently, the programme is present in 31 states, 74 municipalities with 158 hotels, more than 26,000 rooms, and about 500 collaborators have been actively getting involved around the country.

The Green Key programme in México has been very successful and popular, what do you think is the “key” to this success?

The key is the added value of the Green Key brand, which stands for independence, objectivity, and certainty, as well as the implementation of a programme of strict compliance with national and international criteria that can always be verified.

The production of friendly material, such as videos developed explicitly for the establishments, has become a successful way of continuous technical support. The environmental managers of the hotels appreciate this proximity.

Our expertise in environmental education and sharing material to raise awareness of the actual daily environmental impact of the hotel’s operations represents quantitatively measurable actions. This is to verify compliance with the criteria and implement an environmental performance improvement programme.

An essential part in the development of a Dashboard and an App to assess the compliance of the criteria in real-time, with these tools, we can obtain Big Data from our hotels and provide information for the strategy design process focused on an environmentally responsible operation without compromising the guest’s comfort. In other words, we have implemented a sustainability management system in the hotel operation focused on modernisation and supported by technological tools.

Finally, our National Steering Committee evaluates compliance with the criteria and develops an internationally recognised tool for the hotel sector. Fundamental growth of the programme in México and the commitment of our partners to care for and protect the environment through environmentally responsible actions.

After a difficult 2020-2021 for the hospitality industry due to the Covid-19 pandemic, what are your expectations for Green Key and responsible tourism in México in the coming years?

 The COVID-19 pandemic has been a new issue for our country since it has modified attitudes and tourism methods. This has forced us to seek new forms of environmental education as an effective tool to raise awareness among tourists of the need to take greater responsibility for the care of all.

In México, tourists are part of nature-related tourism activities, which should come as no surprise considering the abundance and diversity of the country’s resources. México is a megadiverse country, ranking fifth place, with 12% of the planet’s biodiversity. This biocultural richness allows unique experiences such as nature, community, indigenous and rural tourism.

So, Green Key México’s objective is the development of sustainable hospitality industry. This one should work hand to hand with the promotion and creation of circular economies within hotels. The establishments should address equitable employment and provide a platform for entrepreneurship with the local communities.

Given that the Green Key programme is particularly strong in México, as Green Key´s main area outside Europe and the Middle East, do you think that other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean can build on Green Key´s success in México?

FEE México, through Green Key, has developed material that can be shared with Latin American and Caribbean countries, for example, training videos, which are available to achieve environmentally responsible operations in the establishments. Of course, we are open to keep contact with companies that have a presence in México and with those we have already worked with and those outside the country.

Green Key México always seeks to share knowledge and recognise the work done during the application process and renewals; this allows us to comply with the execution of the environmental improvement plan to achieve international goals. Likewise, training tools on compliance with the criteria will bring more establishments and hotel chains because these resources will facilitate their application.

As a new member of the FEE Board of Directors, responsible for the Green Key programme, how do you see the global development of the Green Key programme in the next 2-4 years?

Green Key is a strong label. As a global benchmark label, we must visualise changes in the tourism sector such as security, health, new barriers for globalisation, and how these issues can impact the viability of sustainable operations.

Green Key is an opportunity for the industry to be part of the defence of the environment under the implementation of a programme that represents the safety of an environmentally responsible operation without affecting the economic viability of the business.

Green Key must strengthen its marketing and be supported by the present network of awarded hotels. After the lockdown, it needs to engage with the sector in the Recovery Plan as a necessary tool for sustainability. Green Key is ready for the challenge; see Strategic Plan GAIA 20:30; Empowering Climate Action, Protecting Global Diversity and Reducing Environmental Pollution.