Tourism businesses offered sustainability audits
22 December 2021
As more and more travellers consider the environmental impact of their holiday choices, VisitAberdeenshire is enabling local tourism businesses to assess where they are on their sustainability journey.
Up to 40 businesses across the region can kickstart the New Year by undertaking a Sustainability Audit being offered as part of VisitAberdeenshire’s comprehensive Business Recovery Programme.
The audits will be carried out by Green Tourism, a world leading accreditation and support business for businesses and destinations in the tourism and hospitality sector.
Following a successful pilot project earlier this year with 16 businesses, the audits are offered free of charge.
Businesses will be helped to understand what they need to do to become more sustainable, whether at the start of their sustainability journey or encouraging those who are already working towards sustainability goals, to take further steps.
The Sustainability Audit involves an initial one to one tailored advice session which will inform a prioritised action plan and one to one follow up advice on implementation. Topics covered may include whether a business is reducing its use of chemicals, promoting the use of public transport or electric vehicles, monitoring energy use and taking steps to become more energy efficient or communicating its green commitment to its customers.
Chris Foy, CEO, VisitAberdeenshire said: “At last month’s Scottish Tourism Alliance conference, it was said that 76% of us in the UK are very concerned about sustainability issues and a recent VisitBritain survey found that almost three in five of Europeans intend to now think more about sustainability and the environment when planning future holidays.
“This programme demonstrates our ongoing commitment to help local businesses meet customer expectations, and support sustainable tourism growth in the North-east.”
Audits will be carried out from January to March 2022 and offered on a first come, first served basis. More information is available from Christina Wright, Senior Tourism Development Executive at christina.wright@visitabdn.com.