New Vision Group Doing The Right Thing For Green Tourism
30/06/2008
Everybody's talking about it. Green, and therefore sustainable, tourism is proving popular with consumers as more and more people try to 'do the right thing'. However, how can they be sure that their holiday is leaving as small a carbon footprint as possible? Green Business (UK) Ltd is a not-for-profit organisation that delivers the Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS), the World's leading green grading scheme for tourism businesses. New Vision Group is delighted to announce its first affiliate site - www.green-tourism.co.uk - operated by Green Business (UK) Ltd, providing a consumer-facing website with the ability to take bookings online, using the New Vision Group's paperless e-tourism platform.
The new website will be designed primarily for consumer-use and will allow those looking specifically for a ‘green' holiday or overnight accommodation, to search the membership database without any time consuming effort. The Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS) accredits a variety of tourism related businesses, including places to stay and visit, activity centres, activity providers, and conference/event venues. The new website will benefit members by providing further promotion and availability listings in addition to their own website and others that they may also be listed in (for example, VisitBritain), whilst only having to update their information once on the centralised DMS.
The website will also include general information, hints and tips on how to be green and will encourage people to make changes in order to reduce their carbon footprint. The GTBS will continue to serve its membership through the website and a membership area will provide information to those already audited and accredited as well as giving an opportunity to businesses wishing to find out more, or indeed join.
Green tourism is sustainable tourism and takes into account the needs of the environment, local residents, businesses and visitors; now and in the future. Green tourism businesses are those actively engaged in reducing the negative environmental and social impacts of their tourism operations. Qualifying criteria for membership with the GTBS includes energy efficiency, waste minimisation and recycling, use of local produce, and support of public transport. Members are re-assessed every two years. For more consumer assurance, the green grading scheme is closely linked to quality and all accommodation providers have to have a star grading before they can gain a green grading.
The New Vision Group DMS provides a complete e-tourism solution, enabling the GTBS to effortlessly co-ordinate a multitude of activities across its membership. Custom designed tools enable the system to provide a range of online services including web bookings and sales, customer profiling, brochure ordering, e-newsletter publication and live listings for accommodation, attractions, events, activities and other tourism venues.
In conjunction with the new website, GTBS will be offering its membership the New Vision Guestlink DMS suite. These bespoke software tools enable the membership to manage their information, availability and bookings online. Guestlink integrates seamlessly with the website to allow for automatic updating of the new GTBS website and other distribution channels such as VisitBritain.
The GTBS works in partnership with tourism agencies across the UK and is the first eco-label in the world to have been validated by the International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT) and the only sustainable tourism label endorsed by VisitBritain in the UK. Jason Freezer from VisitBritain says, "VisitBritain is committed to encouraging sustainable businesses and is pleased to add its endorsement to businesses within the Green Tourism Business Scheme, giving their quality assessed participants full marketing benefits, both online and offline."
The New Vision Group and Green Tourism Business Scheme look forward to the new website, www.green-tourism.co.uk, going live later this summer.
For more information contact: Debbie Tinsey, New Vision Group - T: 0845 4300321
Andrea Nicholas, Green Business UK Ltd - T: 01738 632162