Travelife - the rating system which grades hotels and accommodation on sustainability achievements - launches a new website: www.travelife.org. The website will include a brand new, free guide for businesses which register with Travelife from the Travel Foundation: ‘Getting Started in Sustainability.’

The new website launch coincides with the release of findings from ‘The Concerned Consumer’ - research commissioned by ABTA from Populus which reveals that 58 per cent of consumers said that it would be useful if award logos which rated hotels for sustainability were included in brochures and websites.

Travelife Ltd, which runs the Travelife Sustainability System, is a wholly owned subsidiary of ABTA the Travel Association, and the Travelife Sustainability System is a practical auditing tool for hotels and other forms of accommodation to rate their sustainable and socially responsible practices on bronze, silver and gold levels of achievement. Hotels and apartments can then display their awards in their own and participating tour operator’s brochures, websites and other marketing materials allowing customers to make informed holiday choices based on individual hotels sustainable credentials.

‘Getting Started in Sustainability’, hosted on the new travelife.org website, provides a step-by-step guide on how businesses can become more sustainable, which can help them reduce costs, operate more efficiently and improve the quality of experience for guests. The detailed instructions, tips, and videos provide low-cost and clear advice on a range of comprehensive measures from how accommodation providers can save water and energy, cut down waste, buy local, become a fair employer and monitor performance. There are posters with tips for staff downloadable in five languages: English, Spanish, Turkish, Greek and Arabic and even information for architects designing new-build holiday accommodation. The site also gives tips on how hotels and accommodation providers can communicate their achievements.

The Travelife Sustainability System is now supported by some of the largest tour operators in the world as well as smaller independents, including the Thomas Cook Group, TUI, Virgin Holidays, Inghams, Cosmos, Kuoni, Sunvil, and the Co-operative Travel Group.

Chris Thompson, Travelife Manager said: “We are delighted that Travelife has a new website, which not only provides comprehensive information about the Travelife Sustainability System, how to sign up and use it, but it also now provides essential information on how businesses can make changes to become more environmentally and socially sustainable. Travelife has become the international certification scheme of choice for the travel industry and because the Travelife logo is now being displayed in tour operators’ brochures and websites, it will differentiate businesses and consumers will know that if they book a Travelife property it will be working hard to reduce negative impacts and promote good environmental and social practice and it is fast becoming a trusted and familiar logo, particularly as it is based on European and International standards.”

Sue Hurdle, Chief Executive of the Travel Foundation said: The ‘Getting Started in Sustainability,’ guide contains essential information for all accommodation providers and hoteliers looking to reduce their environmental impacts and improve local sourcing and improvement. It provides businesses with clear guidance, which if followed, will help accommodation providers towards a Travelife award. Certification schemes such as the Travelife awards provide a very useful marker for holidaymakers to make informed choices when booking their holidays.”