The Place and Role of Environmental Labels for Tourist Accommodations: A Survey-Based Characterisation for the European Union

Abstract

Over the past few decades, many environmental labels and schemes have been established at different levels to verify the degree to which businesses are operating in an environmentally sustainable manner and to inform tourist choices. These voluntary tools are used by tourist accommodation services to guarantee quality and conformity to high environmental and sometimes broader performance criteria, drive sustainability awareness and act as a marketing tool. According to the EU’s “Transition Pathway for Tourism” and “European Agenda for Tourism 2030”, environmental labels and schemes can play a role in driving the green transition and strengthening the contribution of tourism to the European Green Deal. This article summarises the main findings from an online survey conducted among global entities managing environmental labels and schemes for tourist accommodation services. The aim of this study is to provide a first characterisation at the European Union level. The results show that, in addition to EU tools such as the EU Ecolabel and the EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme, a diverse range of other labels and schemes is available on the market, but further harmonisation, clarity, and transparency are required to enhance the uptake and effectiveness of these tools for the accommodation sector.