What actually happens during a Travelife hotel audit?

ABTA’s Travelife is one of the most recognisable pieces of tourism certification, especially to the industry in the UK. It started in 2007, and is respected for its thoroughness, which includes an audit of “everything from environmental management and business and labour policies to community integration, child protection and animal welfare.” Ian Taylor tagged along with an audit team recently as it visited the White Palace Hotel in Rethymnon, Crete, and then wrote up his ‘Day in the Life’ for Travel Weekly.

In Brief
  • The Travelife Gold Award was launched 2014. Hotels are required to meet 163 criteria under 13 headings including environmental management, business policies, labour and human rights, and community integration. More than half the criteria relate to environmental management.
  • A typical audit can save a hotel €2,000 on top of savings on utility bills etc.
  • Audits are required every two years. They only take place when a hotel is open. Following an audit, a hotel must submit evidence requested within four to six weeks.
In Depth
In the Future
Jeremy Smith
Jeremy Smithhttp://www.jmcsmith.com
Jeremy Smith is the editor and co-founder of Travindy. He is a writer and communications consultant working for a more responsible and sustainable tourism industry. He is the author of two books, writes a fortnightly blog on responsible tourism for World Travel Market, and provides consultancy to a wide range of companies and organisations, ranging from National Parks to individual hotels and tour operators.

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