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Eco-labels
Eco-labeling describes a scheme in which a product or service may be awarded an ecological label on the basis of its "acceptable" level of environmental impact. The acceptable level of environmental impact may be determined by consideration of a single environmental hurdle or after undertaking an assessment of its overall impacts (Synergy, 2000)

Around the world, there are over 20 recognized, credible eco-labeling and certification programs offering labels or logos designed to signify environmental, socio-cultural, and/or economic business practices that are superior.

You can learn more about our Sustainable Tourism Eco-certification Program™ as well as review some of the other labels and programs that exist today.

	Audubon Green Leaf™ Geographic Scope: United States Sectors Covered: hotels Web site: www.terrachoice.ca Email: ecoinfo@terrachoice.com Phone: 613-247-1900 Description: Internationally recognized, the Audubon Green Leaf™ Programs provide hotels essential support to motivate and educate staff on environmental best practices. The eco-rating level requires a complete, professional audit of the entire operations, verifying a hotel’s eco-rating of one to five Green Leafs, while also providing an extensive recommendation report for the hotel to keep striving forward.
	Blue Flag Geographic Scope: International Sectors Covered: beaches and marinas Web site: www.blueflag.org Email: bf.int@friluftsraadet.dk Phone: + 45 (0)33 79 00 79 Description: Since 1987, Blue Flag has symbolized high environmental standards for water quality, beach cleanliness and waste disposal, providing up-to-date information for visitors, environmental education and a commitment to preserving coastal ecosystems.
	Brazil Sustainable Tourism Program Geographic Scope: Brazil Sectors Covered: accommodations and tourism operators Web site: www.sustainabletourismbrazil.org Email: info@pcts.org.br Description: The Brazil Sustainable Tourism Program promotes the adoption of sustainable practices in tourism through standards, training, information, certification and marketing. Coordinated by the Instituto de Hospitalidade (IH), they believe that all quality tourism should have sustainability inside. The program partners with the Brazilian Council for Sustainable Tourism (CBTS) and is supported by the Brazilian Export Promotion Agency (APEX), the Inter American Development Bank (IADB), Brazilian Ministry of Tourism and Brazilian Small Business Support Service (SEBRAE) and works together with the main stakeholders in tourism in Brazil.
	Certification for Sustainable Tourism Geographic Scope: Costa Rica Sectors Covered: accommodations and tourism operators Web site: www.turismo-sostenible.co.cr Email: info@turismo-sostenible.co.cr Phone: +506-257-2264 Description: The Certification in Sustainable Tourism Program (CST) is a product of the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) consisting of a scale of 1 to 5 levels of sustainable tourism achievement. CST certifies tourism providers based on the degree to which they comply with a sustainable business model taking into consideration natural, cultural and social resource management.
	Eco-Certified Sustainable Travel Geographic Scope: North America Sectors Covered: accommodations, visitor attractions, tourism operators, and transportation service providers Web site: www.sustainabletravelinternational.org Email: info@sustainabletravel.com Phone: 800-276-7764 Description: Since 2002, Sustainable Travel International has been developing an eco-certification program for travel and tourism providers who incorporate financially viable, environmentally and socially responsible business practices into their operations. The program is being launched in 2006.
	Green Deal Geographic Scope: Guatemala Sectors Covered: accommodations, guides, restaurants, communities and tourism operators Web site: www.greendeal.org Email: certificacion@greendeal.org Phone: 502-926-0718 Description: Since 1999, Green Deal has provided sustainable tourism certification based on process-based management systems and specific performance-based criteria that cover quality control, environmental, and socio-cultural issues.
	Green Globe 21 Geographic Scope: International Sectors Covered: communities, accommodations, visitor attractions, tourism operators, and their administrative offices Web site: www.greenglobe21.com Email: customer.services@greenglobe21.com Phone: (+61) (2) 6257 9102 Description: Green Globe 21 is an excellent global benchmarking, certification and improvement system for sustainable travel and tourism. It is based on Agenda 21 and principles for Sustainable Development endorsed by 182 Heads of State at the United Nations Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit. It provides companies, communities and consumers with a path to sustainable travel and tourism.
	Green Seal, Inc. Geographic Scope: United States Sectors Covered: accommodations including hotels, motels and lodges Web site: www.greenseal.org Email: greenseal@greenseal.org Phone: 202-872-6400 Description: Since 1995, the Green Seal has been awarded to products that meet stringent environmental standards for the product category as demonstrated by rigorous evaluation and testing as well as a site visit. Green Seal standards are set so that they identify the most environmentally preferable products currently available; thus, they are leadership standards.
	Green Tourism Business Scheme Geographic Scope: Scotland and the United Kingdom Sectors Covered: B&Bs, self-catering accommodation, hotels, guesthouses, youth hostels, holiday parks, visitor attractions, and tourism companies Web site: www.green-business.co.uk Email: gtbs@green-business.com Phone: + 44 (0)1738 632162 Description: Since 1998, the Green Tourism Business Scheme eco-label has offered bronze, silver and gold awards to travel and tourism providers who fulfill the most important criteria in all of its environmental categories.
	Ibexes Geographic Scope: Switzerland Sectors Covered: hotels and restaurants Web site: www.oe-plus.ch Email: info@oe-plus.ch Phone: +41-81-330 1942 Description: The Ibex eco-label is reserved for Swiss hotels and restaurants engaged in environmentally, socially and economically responsible business practices. Sustainability is the core focus of this eco-label that rewards 1 to 5 Ibexes to companies that care for the well-being of their guests, of nature and of society.
	La Clef Verte Geographic Scope: France Sectors Covered: campgrounds Web site: www.laclefverte.org Email: contact@laclefverte.org Phone: + 33 (0)1 45 49 40 50 Description: Since 1999, La Clef Verte (The Green Key) has awarded its eco-label to campgrounds that adopt responsible business practices, maintain biodiversity and preserve their resources, guaranteeing that they respect the environment.
	Legambiente Turismo Geographic Scope: Italy Sectors Covered: accommodations, hotels and campgrounds Web site: www.legambienteturismo.it Email: info@legambienteturismo.it Phone: + 39 051 241324 Description: Since 1997, Legambiente Turismo has awarded its eco-label to eco-friendly accommodations committed to environmental protection and sustainable business practices.
	Milieubarometer Geographic Scope: The Netherlands Sectors Covered: campgrounds, youth hostels, and holiday parks Website: www.milieubarometer.com Email: info@milieubarometer.com Phone: +31 (0)6 53 92 41 45 Description: Since 1998, Milieubarometer's "Environmental Barometer" has shown visitors the level of environmental quality awarded to tourism providers with three different categories of its eco-label: Bronze, Silver, and Gold which fulfils even the high standards of the state ecolabel, "Milieukeur".
	Nature and Ecotourism Accreditation Program (NEAP) Geographic Scope: Australia Sectors Covered: accommodations, tours, and attractions Web site: www.ecotourism.org.au/neap.asp Email: mail@ecotourism.org.au Phone: 07-3229-5550 Description: NEAP certifies eco-tourism products and tours not operators. Certification is backed by a commitment to best practice ecological sustainability, natural area management and the provision of quality eco-tourism experiences. NEAP is now being exported to the rest of the world as the International Eco-tourism Standard.
	PAN Parks® Geographic Scope: Europe Sectors Covered: National Parks, forest reserves Web site: www.panparks.org Email: info@panparks.org Phone: +36 96 433925 Description: PAN Parks guarantee nature protection for Europe's natural capital by certifying parks that pass verification carried out by independent experts in accordance with PAN Parks' core Principles, Criteria & Indicators. These principles cover relevant environmental, social, economic and cultural aspects and ensure new standards for conservation and sustainable development.
	Qualmark™ Geographic Scope: New Zealand Sectors Covered: accommodations, transportation providers, and tourism businesses Web site: www.qualmark.co.nz Email: enquiries@qualmark.co.nz Phone: +64-9-377 2130 Description: Qualmark™ is New Zealand tourism's official mark of quality. All accommodation and tourism businesses that have Qualmark™ certification have been independently assessed as professional and trustworthy based on quality, service, and cost. Ratings are based on one to five stars, and sustainable business practices are currently not evaluated as part of this program.
	Saskatchewan Ecotourism Accreditation Program Geographic Scope: Saskatchewan, Canada Sectors Covered: attractions, accommodations and guided tours Web site: www.ecotourism.sk.ca Email: bradleymuir@ecotourism.sk.ca Phone: 306-982-2333 Description: The Ecotourism Society of Saskatchewan (ESS) accredits eco-tourism attractions and businesses which follow the principles of eco-tourism and meet criteria for quality and sustainable business practices.
	SmartVoyager™ Geographic Scope: Ecuador's Galapagos Islands Sectors Covered: tour boats Web site: www.rainforestalliance.com/ programs/sv/sv.html Email: smartvoyager@ra.org Phone: 212-677-1900 Description: This seal of certification gives travelers to the Galapagos assurance that they are traveling with an operator who cares about the conservation of the islands and has taken every measure to ensure that passengers enjoy a memorable and educational adventure without harming local and flora
	The Green Key Geographic Scope: Denmark, Estonia, Greenland, and Sweden Sectors Covered: hotels, youth hostels, conference- and holiday centers, campgrounds, holiday homes, leisure facilities, and restaurants Web site: www.green-key.org Email: miljoe@horesta.dk Phone: + 45 (0)35 24 80 80 Description: Since 1994, The Green Key has offered a "diploma" to responsible tourism providers who fulfill a long list of environmental criteria including those related to company policy and action plans. Frequent inspection visits help to ensure the credibility of this eco-label.
	The Luxembourg Ecolabel Geographic Scope: Luxembourg Sectors Covered: accommodations, hotels, youth hostels, holiday apartments, gîtes, and campgrounds Web site: www.emweltzenter.lu/emweltzenter/ oekofonds/welcome.htm Email: oekofonds@emweltzenter.lu Phone: + 352 438585 Description: Since 1999, The Luxembourg Ecolabel has promoted environmentally and socially responsible tourism with the support of the country's Ministry of Tourism in co-operation with its Ministry of Environment.
	The Swan Geographic Scope: Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Norway and Sweden Sectors Covered: hotels, youth hostels, and other lodging services Web site: www.svanen.nu/Eng/default.asp Email: svanen@sismab.se Phone: +46 (0)8-55 55 24 00 Description: Since 1999, this eco-label has guaranteed that products and services meet extremely high environmental standards taking into consideration their lifecycle, impacts, quality, performance. Environmental criteria are regularly revised to ensure that eco-labeled products and services are well above industry standards.
	Umweltzeichen Geographic Scope: Austria Sectors Covered: hotels, youth hostels, campgrounds, holiday apartments, guesthouses, and restaurants Web site: www.umweltzeichen.at Email: regina.preslmair@bmlfuw.gv.at Phone: + 43 (0)1 51522 1648 Description: Since 1997, Austria has offered the "Hundertwasser" eco-label for the tourist industry. This is the Austrian symbol for environmental protection guaranteeing compliance with high environmental standards.
	VISIT Geographic Scope: Europe Sectors Covered: accommodations, visitor attractions, and tourism operators Web site: www.yourvisit.info Email: info@ecotrans.de Phone: + 49 (0)681 374679 Description: VISIT is the joint European initiative for the promotion of eco-labels and sustainable tourism development. VISIT has a dual meaning. As an invitation to consumers, "Your VISIT makes the difference - the choice is yours!" and as an invitation to tourism providers to use VISIT as platform for "Voluntary Initiatives for Sustainability in Tourism".