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NEWS AND FEATURES
Pilot Test Now Open for Sustainable Tourism Rating System

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Boulder, Colorado - The U.S.-based, not-for-profit organization Sustainable Travel International (STI) is currently accepting pilot applications for the newly developed voluntary Sustainable Tourism Eco-certification Program (STEP). The new program, crafted in conjunction with leading experts form around the world, is designed to assist tourism providers in measuring and mitigating their negative environmental, economic, and social-cultural impacts.

Pilot projects are designed to provide on-the-ground testing of a rating system for refinement before formal release to the market place. The STEP pilot will be tested for approximately three months after which time STI will release the program in the U.S. travel and tourism market place. "We are particularly excited about the potential offered by this new program," said Brian T. Mullis, President of Sustainable Travel International. "Pilot applicants have a unique opportunity to help us shape the program for maximum impact in the market place."

STEP encompasses a set of process and performance standards that address the triple bottom line of environmental conservation, social responsibility, and economic profitability within four segments of the U.S. travel and tourism industry. STEP joins current rating systems for accommodations, Green Seal and ECOTEL®, while focusing on other unaddressed market segments including attractions, tour operators and transportation service providers.

Through STEP, tourism providers earn points for satisfying specified standards within eight categories: Sustainability Policy; Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Energy Efficiency, Conservation and Management; Water Use Management and Wastewater Management; Environmental Conservation and Management; Management of Socio-cultural Issues; Land Use Planning and Management; Waste Minimization, Reuse and Recycling. Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum levels of certification are awarded based on the total points earned.

The rigor of the STEP program is to be maintained through a four-step process:

1. Benchmarking. A process of comparing quantifiable performance data to be assessed and analyzed against set industry standards as well as companies who are the best in their class.

2. Self-Audit. An educational tool encompassing a set of standards and related questions with weighted point values designed to help determine the extent to which a business meets the principles of sustainable development.

3. On-site Audit. A systematic, periodic objective evaluation and verification undertaken by trained STEP Auditors who document and compare travel companies' performance with a set of standards.

4. Evaluation. A separate, voluntary Evaluation Committee will then review the Auditor's report and make the determination of whether or not to certify a travel company and at what level.

There will be no fee for participating in STI's pilot test. However, tourism providers who participate in the project will gain invaluable insights into managing their impacts and decreasing their operating costs, offering a great incentive to get involved in this important initiative.

Due to the uniqueness of the STEP standard within the U.S. travel and tourism industry, STI is hopeful that the program will be adopted nationwide by federal agencies, state and local governments, travel industry associations, and private companies as the industry standard of measurement for sustainable tourism in the U.S.

For more information on Sustainable Travel International (STI), visit www.sustainabletravel.com. Tourism providers interested in submitting an application for the Pilot Test are instructed to call 800-276-7764 or email STI.

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