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
- Read the original article: What lies behind a Travelife Award? on Travel Weekly.
- Follow Travelife on Twitter
- Learn more with Travindy partner Training Aid and its Training Report: Travelife Vocational Training on Sustainability in TourismÂ
