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The Travelife certification is an internationally recognised award scheme for hotels and other tourism related business which have attained high standards of environmental management. The initiative was developed by the FTO (British Federation of Tour Operators), which has been merged with ABTA (The Travel Association) and ANVR (Dutch Federation of Tour Operators). Furthermore is supported by the Association of Belgium Tour Operators (ABTO) and the German Forum Anders Reisen (FAR).
Travelife has been set up to support an efficient and cost effective introduction of sustainability principles. It aims to increase the quality of travel products, customer satisfaction and the quality of life in the holiday destinations. The audits itself focus on energy saving practices, waste management, emissions and environment sustainability principles. In the Travelife Sustainable tourism survey, hotels are scored Bronze, Silver or Gold depending on the degree of their environmental commitment. Achieving a Travelife Award is not easy and requires a good result from the Travelife Audit. The award is given after the premises are subjected to an on-site inspection, followed by a series of questions to ascertain that the benchmarks and criteria established are met, such as management of energy and water, chemical usage and community relations – to mention a few.
The hotel has managed to achieve over a 90% score, and this high result determined the achievement of the Gold Award. This is an impressive accolade for the Kempinski Hotel San Lawrenz in Gozo, as it is the only hotel on the island to be presented with Travelife accreditation, as well as its pinnacle award. Achieving a Gold Award shows the high commitment to sustainability by encouraging others to get involved, constantly seeking new opportunities for improvement, and actively communicating the progress. This is the second accreditation for this hotel after it has been the first and only certified hotel in Gozo achieving the Eco Certification from the Malta Tourism Authority.
The driving force behind Kempinski San Lawrenz’s successful application was Mr. Noel Attard, General Manager of the Hotel. Asked for his comments, Mr. Attard said: "We have been passionate about implementing environmental and social management strategies. It is extremely satisfying to achieve such a prestigious award. This certificate underlines Kempinski Hotel San Lawrenz and all the team and staff‘s constant commitment towards the environment sustainability in the hospitality sector. This award would have definitely not been possible without the contribution of all the team at the hotel where we endeavour to make the holiday of all our guests a remarkable experience. Gozo has a lot to offer and we must continuously underlie its potential as an eco island, promoting it for its richness in history, culture, traditions, tranquility, its people and the environment. All in all this is what sustainable tourism is all about".
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
