Media Release: Ecotourism Australia partners with TripAdvisor to launch GreenLeaders Programme down under
TripAdvisor®, the world’s largest travel website, yesterday announced plans to extend its successful TripAdvisor GreenLeaders™ programme into Australia. Ecotourism Australia has partnered in the development of the programme which aims to help travellers around the world plan greener trips by highlighting accommodation providers that engage in environmentally-friendly practices.
“TripAdvisor is a global brand with a high level of trust with consumers. This partnership is demand driven and highlights the fact that guests want to have the ability to easily identify quality sustainable tourism products.” Rod Hillman, Chief Executive Ecotourism Australia.
The programme was successfully launched in the US and Canada in early 2013, and Europe earlier this year, now covering over 7,600 properties across 21 countries. For the first time, accommodation providers in Australia are able to apply for Tripadvisor GreenLeader Status, joining a thriving international market. Properties will be tiered between Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum awards, with each award shown prominently on the property’s listing on TripAdvisor.
Ecotourism Australia’s partnership with the programme is an exclusive arrangement, where ECO Certified accommodation providers are automatically eligible for GreenLeader status. TripAdvisor’s criteria for the GreenLeaders programme has been acknowledged by Ecotourism Australia as an appropriate match for our ECO certification – our current members already exceeding nearly all of the requirements to become a GreenLeader.
“The partnership between Ecotourism Australia and TripAdvisor is an exciting project where Australian tour operators with a commitment to quality are rewarded with exposure at a global level. We welcome the TripAdvisor GreenLeaders programme to Australia, and bringing the concept of eco-certification well and truly into the mainstream” Rod Hillman, Chief Executive Ecotourism Australia.
Current ECO certified accommodation providers will simply need to complete a brief, customised questionnaire to become a TripAdvisor GreenLeader. Shortly, the remaining criteria will be incorporated completely into the ECO programme for seamless, immediate inclusion for new applicants. The programme is a voluntary scheme, with no cost to join for ECO Certified operators. Ecotourism Australia hopes that, once established, the GreenLeaders Programme will be expanded to incorporate tours and operator managed attractions.
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For more information on TripAdvisor GreenLeaders, visit: green.tripadvisor.com.au
Contact the Ecotourism Australia office:
eco@ecotourism.org.au
07 3252 1530